Contenu du sommaire

Capitalism by democratic design? Democratic theory facing the triple transition in east central europe In contrast to comparable transformations that have occurred in other epochs and parts of the world, post-Communist transitions in contemporary East and Central Europe lack the temporal sequence of their three component steps : the building of a territorial and national state, the privatization of the economy, political democratization. The essay explores the dilemmas and contradictions resulting from the simultaneity of, as well as the potentially obstructive interaction between, these three partial transformations. It concludes, in a section on the "political economy of patience ", with some thoughts upon the subjective temporality of thé transformation experience in post-Communist states.

Immigration and the French State problems of policy implementation Why is it so difficult for a liberal-democratie state to control immigration ? By studying the political process, especially the interaction of policy andmarkets, we can get a better picture of the problems faced by liberal states in their efforts to control immigration. The French State is particularly interesting in this respect, because it is generally perceived to be a strong state, capable of market intervention. However, in this instance, economic and social conditions are found to play a much greater role in channeling migratory flows than the "actions " of the state, as expressed in public policy.

Farmers' participation : a Gaullist inheritance In the history of the relations between the State and the farmers, the alliance between a specific agricultural stratum and a political force have always gone beyond a mere interest in economic organization or electoral clientelism, and revealed societal choices. The 1960s alliance of Gaullism and technically progressive farmers, decided under Michel Debré and Edgard Pisani, continued and strengthened by Georges Pompidou and Jacques Chirac, was of a similar nature. It had its roots in an economie, social and political context ("expansion ", economic concertation, resistance of traditional elites) that, between 1962 and 1968, brought the protagonists together. It was further illustrated in the elements of the image that Gaullism wanted to ojfer to young farmers, in accordance with its modernizing-conservative identity. Lastly, it was embodied in the political, strategic and ideological functions which these farmers carried out in the Gaullist universe, particularly on the occasion of the 1969 referendum. As an illustration of change tolerable for Gaullism as much as support for its ambition to depoliticize the social, policy, farmers' "participation " nourished, beyond the historic context of its origins, the identification of the RPR with the French model of agricultural development.

Trop souvent négligés par la littérature spécialisée, les scandales politiques, tels qu'ils se développent dans les démocraties pluralistes, ne peuvent être appréhendés comme la simple transgression de normes établies. L'analyse comparative de Irangate aux Etats-Unis, des affaires Flick en RFA et Carrefour du développement en France révèle qu'il s'agit de phénomènes socialement construits, procédant de la mobilisation d'un nombre restreint d'acteurs directement engagés dans la lutte pour le pouvoir. Leur traitement et leur issue dépendent d'une combinaison complexe de processus micro- et macro-dimensionnels : les ressources stratégiquement mobilisables par les protagonistes dans le cadre du jeu démo­cratique, d'une part, et, d'autre part, l'articulation spécifique entre justice et politique telle qu'elle s'est historiquement constituée, ainsi que la place accordée aux procédures de délibérations collectives dans chaque société. En ce sens, le scandale politique ne peut être étudié en dehors de son contexte historique et des stratégies qui lui sont consubstantielles. Too often neglected by specialized literature political scandals, such as those that develop pluralist democracies, cannot be understood as simple transgressions of established norms. A comparative analysis of Irangate in the US, the Flick affair in Germany and the Carrefour du Développement affair in France reveals socially constructed phenomena, resulting from the mobilization of limited number of actors directly involved in the struggle for power. Their treatment and their outcome depend on a complex combination of micro- and macro- dimensional processes : the resources strategically mobilizable by the protagonists within the democratic framework, and the specific articulation of justice and politics as it is historically constituted, as well as the place granted to procedures of collective deliberation in each society. In that sense, political scandals cannot be studied outside of their historic context and the strategies which are integral components.

William Godwin's libertarian utilitarianism William Godwin (1756-1836) holds a singular position in the British controversy between the supporters and the opponents of the French Revolution. Though a believer in the démocratic ideal, he rejected Jacobinism and violence and advocated in their place the progressive persuasion of public opinion. Godwin refuted the contractarian doctrine and the codification of rights which inspired the First Republic's principles. A strong opponent of political coercion, he advocated a minimalist version of the role of institutions. Anticipating John Stuart Mill, he founded justice on an altruist interpretation of utilitarian doctrine meant to make compatible methodological individualism and the simultaneous demands for liberty, equality and fraternity. He sketched the outlines of a just society which, property and the State having been abolished, was based on the autonomy and free coordination of individuals whose wealth resided in leisure. This libertarian utopia established Godwin as one of the founders of anarchist doctrine. Godwinian utilitarianism tended toward perfectionism and was not exempt from constructivism. This stimulating reflection sketches a philosophy of civil society which is still strikingly relevant.