Issue published: 30 April 2014

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The long‑lasting effects of the economic crisis on political culture

Toma Burean, Csongor‑Ernö Szöcs and Gabriel Badescu, p. 7–24

Abstract: This paper evaluates whether individuals’ experiences during the global recession of 2009 have long‑term effects on their view of the political system. Using data from the 2010–2013 wave of the World Values Survey (WVS), we ask if members of societies that have experienced a large increase of youth unemployment, as well as members of societies with a large decline in GDP growth, become more likely to have lowlevels of political tolerance and political trust. We found that members of societies with a larger drop in GDP growth tend to display lower levels of tolerance than the rest of the respondents. At the same time, we found that in countries that suffered a relatively large decline in the GDP growth, younger people tend to be more tolerant compared toolder people than in countries with smaller decline in GDP growth, and that the level of institutional trust among older people in countries with large GDP decline tends tobe relatively high compared to those of younger people.

Keywords: GDP growth, youth unemployment, institutional trust, intolerance, economic crisis

Neo‑liberal, neo‑Keynesian or just a standard response to the crisis? Clash of ideologies in Czech political, scientific and public debate

Ladislav Cabada, p. 25–51

Abstract: The Czech Republic belongs among those nations that might be understood as rather less affected by the economic crisis in the European Union. In the period after 2010 average real incomes were growing or at least stable and the unemployment rate was growing only moderately; the national currency strengthened against the Euro and kept its position next to other major currencies; inflation was growing in the frame given by the euro‑criteria and surveys of poverty repeatedly present the country as the least affected by this phenomenon among all the countries of EU–27. Nevertheless, the crisis was used by all relevant political actors in the Czech Republic as an important theme of politicization and mobilization of social groups. Led by Prime Minister Petr Nečas, the parties in a government that declared it reformist presented reforms characterized by savings as necessary to keep the stable position of the country. Opposition parties andother important political actors (the new President Miloš Zeman, the labour unions) criticized the reforms as “neo‑liberal” and as deepening the crisis. Along with other issues, such as a “clash of ideologies” and the labelling of opponents as “neo‑liberal” or “neo‑Keynesian”, this strongly influenced the parliamentary debate, social dialogue and, also, the first direct Presidential elections in January 2013. The aim of the article is to analyse the Czech discourse on crisis in the period between its start in early 2008 and half of 2013, when the “reformist” Nečas government resigned and the “Presidential”government of Jiří Rusnok was created. We will focus especially on the government, its relations with the opposition and its inclusion of other relevant actors in the debate, such as labour unions and civil society organizations.

Keywords: Czech Republic, neo‑liberal approach, neo‑Keynesian approach, discourse of crisis, welfare state, social (in)justice, political manifestos

Ideological Profile and Crisis Discourse of Slovenian Elites

Matevž Tomšič and Lea Prijon, p. 53–74

Abstract: This article deals with the nature of crisis discourse concerning the Slovenian political, business and academic elite and the ideological orientations that determine it. The authors claim that the ideological profile often related to their ‘vested interests’ strongly determines the common perception of crisis in Slovenian society. The crisis in Slovenia that derives from deficiencies of its developmental model, labelled as “gradualism”, is strongly related to configuration of political and other elites, i.e. a high level of elite reproduction and corresponding ideological hegemony exercised by one of the elite factions.

Keywords: elite, crisis, discourse, transition, Slovenia

Austria and its Experience with European Parliament Elections: Evidence since 1996

Sylvia Kritzinger and Karin Liebhart, p. 75–95

Abstract: This contribution dedicates special attention to the EP elections 2014 in Austria, a country where Euro‑skepticism usually dominates, and the unexpected outcome. The election is analyzed with an overall reference to all EP elections in Austria since the country has become a member of the EU in 1995, and a particular comparison to the 2009 EP elections. To provide some background knowledge the performance of the relevant Austrian parties in the past EP elections is observed, and special emphasis is put on changes in the Austrian political landscape. As the EP electoral results are embedded in national politics, the authors also briefly describe the Austrian party system and the development of electorates’ public opinion towards the European Union.

Keywords: EP elections, EU, Euro‑skepticism, Parties/Party system, Austria

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