Democratization and Minority Rights Human Rights PI4553

Democratization and Democratization and Minority RightsMinority Rights

Human Rights PI4553Human Rights PI4553

QuestionsQuestions

Why are minority rights important and Why are minority rights important and what part do they play in the larger what part do they play in the larger scheme of human rights?scheme of human rights?

Why does democratization encourage Why does democratization encourage conflict between majorities and minorities?conflict between majorities and minorities?

How and why has democratization been How and why has democratization been tied to minority rights in Central and tied to minority rights in Central and Eastern Europe?Eastern Europe?

Democratization and EthnicityDemocratization and Ethnicity

Democracy in ethnically homogenous Democracy in ethnically homogenous statesstatesJapanJapan 1.5% minority1.5% minorityUKUK 8.0% minority8.0% minorityFranceFrance 9.1% minority9.1% minorityUSAUSA 30% minority30% minority


Democratization in Ethnically Democratization in Ethnically heterogeneous statesheterogeneous statesRomaniaRomania 6.6% Hungarians6.6% HungariansBulgariaBulgaria 9.4% Turks9.4% TurksSlovakiaSlovakia 9.7% Hungarians9.7% HungariansUkraineUkraine 17.3% Russians17.3% RussiansLatviaLatvia 29% Russians29% Russians

What can we say about ethnic What can we say about ethnic cleansing?cleansing?

Michael Mann, Michael Mann, The Dark Side of The Dark Side of DemocracyDemocracy

1.1. Murderous cleansing is modern and thus the Murderous cleansing is modern and thus the dark side of democracydark side of democracya.a. Link between the demos and the ethnosLink between the demos and the ethnos

b.b. Legacies of settler coloniesLegacies of settler colonies

c.c. Liberalization may be violentLiberalization may be violent

d.d. Liberal democracies were built on ethnic cleansingLiberal democracies were built on ethnic cleansing

2.2. Ethnic hostility rises when ethnicity trumps Ethnic hostility rises when ethnicity trumps class as the main form of social stratificationclass as the main form of social stratification


Michael Mann, Michael Mann, The Dark Side of DemocracyThe Dark Side of Democracy3.3. Murderous cleansing is reached when:Murderous cleansing is reached when:

a.a. When two ethnic groups lay claim to the same territoryWhen two ethnic groups lay claim to the same territory

b.b. Both groups have considerable legitimacy and some Both groups have considerable legitimacy and some possible chance of implementing controlpossible chance of implementing control

4.4. Murderous cleansing happensMurderous cleansing happensa.a. The less powerful side is bolstered to fight rather than The less powerful side is bolstered to fight rather than

submit by believing that aid will be coming from outside, or;submit by believing that aid will be coming from outside, or;

b.b. The stronger side believes it has such overwhelming The stronger side believes it has such overwhelming military power and ideological legitimacy to winmilitary power and ideological legitimacy to win


Michael Mann, Michael Mann, The Dark Side of DemocracyThe Dark Side of Democracy5.5. Murderous cleansing occurs when the state is in Murderous cleansing occurs when the state is in

control and radicalised amid an unstable geo-control and radicalised amid an unstable geo-political environment political environment

6.6. Murderous cleansing is rarely the initial intent of Murderous cleansing is rarely the initial intent of perpetratorsperpetrators

7.7. There are three main levels of perpetratorThere are three main levels of perpetratora.a. Radical elites running party-statesRadical elites running party-statesb.b. Bands of paramilitariesBands of paramilitariesc.c. Core constituencies providing mass though not Core constituencies providing mass though not

majority supportmajority support


8.8. Finally, ordinary people are brought by Finally, ordinary people are brought by normal social structures into committing normal social structures into committing murderous ethnic cleansingmurderous ethnic cleansing

Democratization and ConflictDemocratization and Conflict

Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians)Armenians)

Moldova (Russians)Moldova (Russians)Georgia (Ossetians, Abkhazians)Georgia (Ossetians, Abkhazians)Yugoslavia (Croatia, Serbs, Bosniaks, Yugoslavia (Croatia, Serbs, Bosniaks,

Albanians)Albanians)

Democratization and ConflictDemocratization and Conflict

Does Democratization provide the grounds Does Democratization provide the grounds for conflict?for conflict?Yes (Mansfield and Snyder 1996, 2002)Yes (Mansfield and Snyder 1996, 2002)No (Galbreath 2004)No (Galbreath 2004)

Defining DemocracyDefining Democracy

Beetham (1992) defines democracy as a ‘mode Beetham (1992) defines democracy as a ‘mode of decision-making about collectively binding of decision-making about collectively binding rules and policies over which the people rules and policies over which the people exercise control.’ Rule by the people. Is this exercise control.’ Rule by the people. Is this enough to define democracy? Who is the enough to define democracy? Who is the people?people?

Kaldor and Vejvoda (2002) define democracy as Kaldor and Vejvoda (2002) define democracy as a ‘set of rules, procedures and institutions’. Is a ‘set of rules, procedures and institutions’. Is this enough?this enough?

Przeworski (1994) argues that democracy is Przeworski (1994) argues that democracy is mitigated conflict. mitigated conflict.

Defining DemocracyDefining Democracy

1.1. Elected OfficialsElected Officials: The concept of : The concept of democracy usually conjures up images democracy usually conjures up images of individuals at the ballot box voting in a of individuals at the ballot box voting in a fair election. Hence, inclusive suffrage is fair election. Hence, inclusive suffrage is a must. a must.

2.2. Associational AutonomyAssociational Autonomy: A deeply : A deeply entrenched civil society should be entrenched civil society should be present in a democratic state. present in a democratic state.

Defining DemocracyDefining Democracy National IntegrityNational Integrity: One of the most difficult characteristics : One of the most difficult characteristics

to fulfil for reformers are the criterion that there must be to fulfil for reformers are the criterion that there must be a state accepted by all participants as the only legitimate a state accepted by all participants as the only legitimate set of government institutions. set of government institutions.

AAuthoritarian eliminationuthoritarian elimination: The elimination of all : The elimination of all authoritarian blocs is a fundamental characteristic of authoritarian blocs is a fundamental characteristic of democratic governance. democratic governance.

Exclusive DemocracyExclusive Democracy: The final capstone of : The final capstone of characteristics is that political actors with the regime characteristics is that political actors with the regime should view democracy as the only possible political should view democracy as the only possible political process, or “the only game in town.” process, or “the only game in town.”


Return to Return to National IntegrityNational Integrity::State building vs nation buildingState building vs nation building

Ex. LatviaEx. Latvia

Tension between the Tension between the demosdemos and and ethnosethnos

Democratization and MinoritiesDemocratization and Minorities

What do we mean by minority rights?What do we mean by minority rights?Social RightsSocial RightsEconomic Rights Economic Rights Political RightsPolitical Rights

Why are these important for democracy?Why are these important for democracy?

IOs and minority rightsIOs and minority rights

Why are European organizations Why are European organizations interested in minority rights?interested in minority rights?Regional IntegrationRegional IntegrationSecuritySecurityDemocracyDemocracy

IOs and minority rightsIOs and minority rights

Which organizations are interested?Which organizations are interested?Council of EuropeCouncil of EuropeEuropean UnionEuropean UnionOSCEOSCEWEUWEUUNUNNATO?NATO?

Case Study: Latvia and EstoniaCase Study: Latvia and Estonia

Soviet legacy of nationalities policiesSoviet legacy of nationalities policiesBaltic NationalismBaltic NationalismBaltic state-building/nation-buildingBaltic state-building/nation-building

CitizenshipCitizenshipLanguageLanguageEducationEducation

European OrganizationsEuropean Organizations


European OrganizationsEuropean OrganizationsOSCEOSCE

Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Office for Democratic Institutions and Human RightsRights

Field Missions 1992-2001Field Missions 1992-2001High Commissioner on National MinoritiesHigh Commissioner on National Minorities


European OrganizationsEuropean OrganizationsCouncil of EuropeCouncil of Europe

Framework Convention for the Protection of Framework Convention for the Protection of National MinoritiesNational Minorities

Vienna CommissionVienna CommissionParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

(PACE)(PACE)


European OrganizationsEuropean OrganizationsEuropean UnionEuropean Union

Regular Reports from 1998-2004 (European Regular Reports from 1998-2004 (European Commission)Commission)

European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentGeneral Secretariat for Human RightsGeneral Secretariat for Human Rights

Table 1 The European National Minority Rights Regime Organizations Aims Agents Criteria Procedures European Union Regional Integration European Commission Copenhagen Criteria Regular Reports OSCE Regional security; High Commissioner on Helsinki Final Act; HCNM Letters; democracy National Minorities; HCNM recommendations Mission reports OSCE Missions and guidelines Council of Europe Democracy; PACE; Secretariat of the FCNM Mission reports; Democratization Framework Convention Committee reports for the Protection of National Minorities

A European National Minority A European National Minority Rights Regime?Rights Regime?

‘‘If an international human rights regime If an international human rights regime exists, how do we know?’exists, how do we know?’ InterestsInterests

Whose interests manifested where?Whose interests manifested where?

PowerPowerDoes it come down to power asymmetries?Does it come down to power asymmetries?

KnowledgeKnowledgeNorm transfer as learning?Norm transfer as learning?

ConclusionConclusion

Why are minority rights important and Why are minority rights important and what part do they play in the larger what part do they play in the larger scheme of human rights?scheme of human rights?

Why does democratization encourage Why does democratization encourage conflict between majorities and minorities?conflict between majorities and minorities?

How and why has democratization been How and why has democratization been tied to minority rights in Central and tied to minority rights in Central and Eastern Europe?Eastern Europe?

Documents

Democratization and Minority Rights Human Rights PI4553