From Elections to Democracy: Building Accountable Government in Hungary and Poland

ISBN-13: 9780521692151 / Angielski / Miękka / 2007 / 286 str.

Susan Rose-Ackerman

Opis

The transition to democracy in Central and Eastern Europe is not complete. The process by which governments make policy is often closed and difficult to penetrate. Frequently, only a few insiders are consulted, and even when the process is more oprn, short time limits and bureaucratic resistance make the process opaque to ordinary citizens. Drawing on interviews with key officials and private sector activists, this book documents existing problems with the policymaking processes in Hungary and Poland and argues for reforms that will enhance the accountability of all democracies in the region.

Recenzje

'… its descriptive, analytical and prescriptive aims are skilfully achieved. It supplies a trove of detailed factual information and data on the wide range of institutions studied, which will be useful for those without the language skills to access the relevant documentation in the original … of interest to a wide range of readers … provides useful case studies for graduate-level students of public policy in Eastern Europe, and it is a valuable source book for Central European specialists. It also represents an important contribution for policy communities in Central Europe and in those states seeking to devise strategies to support political development in the region.' The Slavonic and East European Review

Spis treści

1. Policymaking accountability and democratic consolidation; 2. Alternative routes to policymaking accountability; 3. The legacy of the past; 4. External accountability and the European Union; 5. Oversight; 6. Decentralized political accountability; 7. Public participation in policymaking: government procedures; 8. Civil society groups: overview; 9. Environmental advocacy organizations in Hungary; 10. Student and youth organizations in Poland; 11. Democratic consolidation and policymaking accountability.