FSP - Political Ideologies

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Browsing FSP - Political Ideologies by Author "Gabor, Eugen"

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    How Civil Societies Are Undermined: An Analysis of Factors That Endanger Civic Freedoms
    (UJ MANDATUM KONYVKIADO, 2024) Gabor, Eugen
    Several studies highlight the fact that the first decades of the 21st century are characterized by a resurgence of authoritarianism, which contradicts the optimistic visions of the 1990s regarding the so-called end of history. For instance, Freedom House argues, presenting relevant data, that since 2006, a process of democratic backsliding has been in place worldwide. Not only developing countries or regions are affected but also countries in Europe and Northern America, where democracy once seemed inexpugnable. This illiberal wave thrives on the weaknesses of civil societies and has the effect of further reducing the dimensions of the civic space. Although those who promote open societies are on the defensive, their cause is far from being an obsolete remnant of the second half of the 20th century. However, their endeavors can be ineffective if the causes of the antidemocratic forces’ success are not properly acknowledged. The main goal of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that are vital for building or strengthening closed societies. To shape relevant conclusions, we analyze information from projects like People Power under Attack, realized by the CIVICUS global civil society network or V-Dem (The Varieties of Democracy), managed by an institute affiliated with the University of Gothenburg (Sweden). We focus especially on countries that experienced sharp transformations regarding the state of their civil societies in the last 3–5 years. Our findings underline, among others, the importance of the electoral process and foreign policy influencing the evolution of the civic space. Cases like the Czech Republic suggest that the decline of civil society can be stopped at the polls. The Russian Federation is an example of a successful suspension of civic freedoms under the pretext of protecting the population from toxic foreign interference.
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    THE CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN SOCIAL DEMOCRACY: DOWNFALL AND RESILIENCE AS REFLECTED BY THE ROMANIAN (PSD) AND DUTCH (PVDA) CENTER-LEFT
    (UJ MANDATUM KONYVKIADO, 2023) Gabor, Eugen
    After 2010, the European Socialist political family experienced a profound crisis that also had a notable impact on civil societies. Voices from the academic field argued that the response of the Social Democratic cabinets to the economic downturn of that period was the main reason behind the downfall. However, its roots run deeper in recent history. Some parties crossed this turmoil unscathed, and others rebounded quickly, proving their resilience. What are the main causes of this decline? Why were some parties able to move beyond it while others never recovered? The present paper tries to shape some answers to these questions by focusing on the evolution in the last 10 years of two members of the Party of European Socialists (PES): the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA). Our conclusions emphasize the main factors that are relevant to our topic, highlighting that ideology still influences contemporary political fields and civil societies.
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    The Impact of Deep Fakes in the Age of Populism and Post-Democracy
    (Editura Universitaria Craiova, 2024) Gabor, Eugen; Oancea, Marian; Pripp, Vladimir
    In 2024, almost half of the world’s population participated in electoral processes or is due to vote. The United States of America (USA), the European Union (EU), or India are among the democratic entities which organize elections in 2024. Citizens from autocracies like the Russian Federation are also summoned to express their options at the polls, although in their cases the proceedings are obviously flawed. Disinformation can manipulate outcomes both in liberal democracies and in hybrid regimes. In this context, our endeavor tries to analyze the impact of deep fakes on elections, in particular, and on political phenomena in general. A new remarkable tool, created with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is weaponized by various politicians. Thus, an already worrying process of democratic backsliding seems to be accelerating. Both populist and non-populist politicians are using deep fakes in order to create unfair competitive advantages. Through several case studies, we describe and explain the influence of deep fakes on political developments. We highlight that populist groups can benefit from the politic al instrumentalization of deep fakes. Nevertheless, AI’s dark side offers opportunities for politicians that are outside of the populist sphere too. Overall, the phenomenon described by Colin Crouch as post-democracy seems to be enhanced by the evolutions we describe. Reversing this trend would require both regulations from the authorities and a reconstruction of the public’s trust in political mechanisms.