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• Trojan horse and fig leaf: the role of populism in the global crisis of democracy and the postmodern autocracies

  30-61

  István Benedek

  Views:

  31

  It is my contention that populism could be an appropriate framework to understand and link the phenomena of global crisis of democracy and spread of postmodern autocracies. In order to substantiate this claim with the method of literature review, I have examined first the characteristics of these phenomena and then I have focused the nature of relationship between them, in particular with regard to the complex system of stability of new types of autocracies, in which, I think, populism playing a key role. Populism, understood it as an autocratic interpretation of democracy and representation, could be a particularly dangerous Trojan horse for democracy. Above all, because of its idea of a single, homogeneous and authentic people that can be genuinely represented only by populists, and because of this representative claim is a moralized form of antipluralism. In addition, populism is also an important feature of postmodern autocracies, especially of electoral autocracy. By means of populism, it is possible for these regimes to camouflage and even legitimise the autocratic trends and exercise of power, as well as the creation an uneven playing field for political contestation behind their formally multi-party elections and democratic façade. As a radical turn towards traditional forms of autocracies would be too expensive, postmodern autocrats need manipulated multi-party elections and other plebiscite techniques that could serve as quasi-democratic legitimation, as well as populism that could transform political contestation to a life-and-death struggle and, provides other important cognitive functions. Therefore, populist autocracy, as a paradigmatic type of postmodern autocracies, will remain with us for a long time, giving more and more tasks to researchers involved in them.

• The slave trade and trust

  172-177.

  Edit Schranz

  Views:

  29

  Does culture have an impact on society, and if so, how? The study by Nathan Nunn and Leonard Wantchekon set out to examine the impact of the slave trade, which has left its mark on the African continent and its economy, but which ended some 100 years ago, on the cultural, norm-following, beliefs and values of individuals. Their aim is to explore the reasons that led to the historical disconnect within Africa between local governments or municipalities (politics), between the outlying communities (neighbours) and even within family relations, which may still influence economic development today. Nunn and Wantchekon's hypothesis is based on an earlier study by Nunn, which showed a causal link between the 400-year slave trade and the income conditions of the African population today, looking at the long-term economic effects of the slave trade.

• Rural youth and their lack of mobility

  3-22.

  Views:

  82

  International research on the lack of mobility and its causes among people in rural areas primarily focuses on motivations for emigration and consequences of immigration. In the first half of our study we summarize the findings of the research described above. We explain the relationship between poverty and lack of mobility, review the link between agriculture and local mobility, predominantly through the functions of rural businesses. We explore the return migration of youths, especially those who move back to their village after a long period of  education and/or job search. We revisit structural theories that connect migration to different types of capital and shed light on the impact of changing perceptions on rural life. We use longitudinal quantitative studies and their statistics to analyze the characteristics of the lack of mobility among Hungarian rural youths and emigration patterns between 2010–2017. The second half of our manuscript delineates the results of studies done by the Mobility Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The pertinent articles and case studies examine the role of social bonds in the lack of mobility, types of employment among rural youths, and how those influence their attachment to their village. Mobility case studies among the youths are also analyzed, along with the social representation of their identity, categories of success, the effects of poverty, their family bonds, perspectives for the future, as well as the consequences of the social and regional characteristics of their villages.