Reflections of Globalization in Political Parties Programmes in Croatia

1
Reflections of Globalization in Political
Parties Programmes in Croatia
Davorka Vidovic and Davor Paukovic

• International scientific conference
  Globalization of Politics
• Dubrovnik, October, 12-13 2007

2
Basic premisis

• Globalization causes a number of changes in all
  aspects of social life
• These changes can not be properly explained in
  the framework of the Westphalian paradigm anymore
• The old paradigm of nation-state system has been
  changed dramatically, in particular the issue of
  sovereignty that was the basis of state system
• New paradigm imply redefining of sovereignty and
  the transformation of the role of the state in
  world politics (Beck, Scholte)
• However, political parties remain functioning as
  the main political actors of the nation state
• How parties reflect on globalization issues and
  themes? How they perceive their role in
  globalized society?

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Concept of the survey

• Main objective to explore how political parties
  perceive globalization and global issues
• Target group parliamentary parties in Croatia
• Methodology content analysis
• analysis of the programmes of the main
  parliamentary parties in Croatia
• perceptions of the globalization and global
  issues through the dimensions of globalization

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Dimensions of globalization -indicators

• See Beck, U. (2003), Scholte, J. A. (2000),
  Steger, M. (2005), Midgley, J. (1997)

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Political dimension

• Political parties still perceive sovereignty in
  the scope of old Westphalian paradigm
• All parties give top priority to the issue of
  accession to EU, and also full support to
  Croatian membership in NATO
• Parties percieve EU membership as positive and
  useful and advocate for the equal and partnership
  role of Croatia in EU
• All parties insist on protection of Croatian
  national interest in process of accession
• HDZ ...we should resist to all forms of
  globalization that are opposed to Croatian
  national interest
• SDP ...against any kind of integration that
  would insist on renunciation of right to decide
  on own national interest
• HSP advocate for more rigid position in
  negotiation with EU, in order to protect national
  interest
• The need to redefine sovereignty in new (changed)
  supranational context has been recognized by the
  majority of parties
• However, it remain unclear in which ways or by
  what degree the sovereignty ought to be
  transformed

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Economic dimension

• Parties on both side of political spectrum
  support the market economy and argued for the
  greater openness of economy as necessary for
  further growth
• Economic globalization is mostly seen as positive
  force/ process that provide greater opportunities
  to faster development of national economy in
  general
• There is also perception that economic
  globalization could bring negative effects, but
  still strong conviction that state could affect
  on it and protect oneself
• Also, economic globalization is perceived as
  closely interconnected to process of European
  integration
• DC Globalization and European integration will
  be used as tools that will eliminate limits of
  domestic market and raise productivity...
• HNS ...stimulation to the development are
  certainly pre-accession funds of EU that should
  be largely used

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Economic dimension

• There is evident broad perception that openness
  to foreign investment is necessary (DC, HDZ,
  HNS), but still that most of the national
  resources should stay in the property of Croatian
  citizens (DC, HDZ, SDP) in particular the
  agricultural land (SDP, HSS-HSLS-PGS)
• Parties on both sides of political spectrum (HDZ,
  HSP, SDP) perceive foreign capital as potential
  risk for Croatian national interest and advocate
  for strongest protection and control
• HDZ ...it is necessary to stop further debts
  since it has brought Croatia into dependent
  position towards foreign financial power
• SDP ...we need to protect the national resources
  from foreign capital. Croatia is not for sale
• Most of the parties advocate for the prompt
  proclaim and regulation of Croatian economic zone
  in Adriatic sea according to the international
  law (ZERP) (HDZ, HNS, HSS-HSLS-PGS)

8
Social dimension

• There is strong awareness that increase of social
  problems is connected with (neo)liberal economy,
  so parties mostly criticize the social
  insensitiveness of liberalism in economy
• However, market economy is recognized as reality
  and transformation of the welfare state and
  social politics is argued to be suitable to new
  circumstances
• SDP ...economic development should be followed
  by social development market
• Therefore, parties mostly advocate for the
  transformation towards active social policy
• Moreover, conservative parties (DC, HDZ, HSP)
  argued for more residual and targeted welfare
  state (means and asset tests) and increased
  individual responsibility

9
Cultural dimension

• All parties (in different degree) advocate for
  protection of national identity, language,
  tradition and customs
• Globalization and ongoing process of European
  integration has been mostly seen as condition
  that require stronger linkage to the national
  roots, tradition and identity
• HDZ ..national identity and awareness is
  important for the perception of Croatia in
  international and global environment
• SDP ...importance of both processes
  integration of European values in Croatia and
  integration of Croatian values in EU
• HNS ...Fear of diminishing of national identity
  in EU is ungrounded, because Croatia naturally
  belongs to Europe
• Parties show a certain tendency to build the base
  of sovereignty protection in cultural and
  national identity
• HDZ ...the role of Croatian identity and
  awareness of state tradition is most important
  defense against national and state collapse

10
Ecological dimension

• Ecological issues have been understood as
  important for the sustainable development of the
  society and its surrounding
• Mostly all parties show significant awareness
  that environmental problems are global issues and
  that state has no capacity to solve it barely
  inside the national territory
• Also, it is recognized that environmental
  protection should be primarily adjusted to EU
  standards

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Conclusions/few thesis for further research

• Political parties (still) act as an actors of old
  Westphalian paradigm, in the scope of nation
  state and territory
• Grounded on those premises all parties emphasize
  the necessity of protection of national interests
  in the supranational and global surrounding
• Globalization process has been recognized as
  reality that determine the contemporary society
  and state
• DC - perceive globalization as inevitable
  Croatia should take the advantages of
  globalization and protect oneself from negative
  effects
• SDP globalization is not default condition and
  is not intangible it has advantages and threats
  at the same time, but the state could and should
  resist
• For political parties globalization is a process
  they could influence on in great sense
• Globalization is mostly seen as economic
  globalization, and the perception of political
  globalization (meaning transfer and/or reduction
  of sovereignty in the process of EU integration)
  is significantly lower

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Conclusions/few thesis for further research

• There is evident dogmatism in perception of EU
  and European integration (all aspects of future
  relation to supranational bodies are not fully
  presented only advantages are underlined)
• HNS Advantages that Croatia will obtain in
  accession to EU are perfectly clear. Accession to
  EU will certainly ensure significant growth of
  our economy, increase the productivity and raise
  incomes and life standard.
• EU has been seen as community of equal states
  where national interests have been respected and
  harmonized
• Almost all parties express significant interest
  for conserving and protecting national identity,
  tradition and language, so the cultural dimension
  almost become substitute for threat of weakening
  political sovereignty
• Finally, it can be identified that differences
  between political parties are mostly diminishing
  in scope of globalization issues and themes they
  reflect on