Darina Malová

Nationalism and Its Explanations

This paper presents new terms for analyzing individuals’ national attitudes and their conceptualization and operationalization, a universal psychological structure in which these concepts interconnect, and a nationalism explanatory model. Three empirical studies using anonymous self-administered surveys served to test and improve national attitude assessment and its developmental theory. These empirical studies were conducted in a well-established state (the Netherlands), a recently established state (Slovakia), and a region in which a considerable proportion of citizens are striving to develop a new independent state (the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain).

Emerging Patterns of EU Membership: Drawing Lessons from Slovakia's First Two Years as a Member State

The 2004 enlargement of the European Union has provided political scientists with 10 additional cases to examine national preference formation and behaviour in the EU. The first two years of Slovakias membership suggest that while unique historical experiences and size contribute to explaining Slovakias stance on further integration, ideology, powerful societal interests and the opportunities of membership (as opposed to accession) hold the key. These findings not only feed into broader debates surrounding preference formation and related theories of European integration, but also cast light on the behaviour of new Member States following the period shaped by accession conditionality.

Slovakia: From the Ambiguous Constitution to the Dominance of Informal Rules

Describes the reasons behind the hastily drafted Constitution of Slovakia and explains why it proved insufficient to provide guidance to political leaders and to foster the consolidation of democracy. The main argument of this chapter is that the preponderance of informal rules has impeded the institutionalization of formal rules and undermined the constitutional government. The chapter focuses on the factors that have contributed to the dominance of informal rules and pushed actors to turn to unconstitutional alternatives. Slovakias institutional developments are explored in four parts. The first part reviews institutional traditions and the constitution‐making process. The second part examines the electoral system and its impact on the party system and the composition of political power. The third part examines the substance of the Constitution, particularly, the unclear articles regarding the separation of powers, which have led to institutional conflicts. The last section analyses the durability of the constitution and attempts made by political actors to balance power through institutional engineering.

The national council of the Slovak republic: Between democratic transition and national state‐building

The third post‐Communist parliament in Slovakia faced two new important tasks in June 1992: on the one hand the Slovak National Council1 had to continue a democratic transition, and on the other hand it had to build a new national state. This paper2 focuses on the development of the Slovak Parliament since the election of 1992. First, it studies the impact of building a national state on the development of parliamentarism. Second, consideration is given to the formation of the party system inside the parliament. Third, it examines the stability of government in new democratic conditions.

The Eastern Enlargement of the European Union: Challenges to Democracy?1

The Eastern Enlargement of the European Union: Challenges to Democracy?1 Recent scholarship assesses the impact of the European Unions conditionality on democracy in Central and Eastern Europe in a contradictory way. On one hand, the EU is perceived as a key agent of successful democratic consolidation and on other hand, the return of nationalist and populist politics in new member states has been explored in the context of the negative consequences of the hasty accession that undermined government accountability and constrained public debate over policy alternatives. This article explains this puzzle of the ambiguous effects of the EUs politics of conditionality, which promoted institutions stabilizing the horizontal division of powers, rule of law, human and minority rights protection, but which neglected norms and rules of participatory and/or popular democracy.

Economy and Democracy in Slovakia during the Crisis: From a Laggard to the EU Core

This article demonstrates that the EU’s multiple economic crises have not shifted the main political trajectories in Slovakia. Despite a severe impact on the labor market, the crises themselves have neither triggered strong anti-EU sentiments nor led to an upsurge of social unrest or anti-EU populist politics. We argue that differentiated Europeanization and instrumental socialization based solely on strategic calculation, together with the elites’ narrow focus on fiscal governance, have recently prompted anti-EU attitudes, undermined citizens’ trust, and further weakened the quality of democracy. In sum, the Slovak case suggests that it is the inadequate elite response to the crisis, rather than the economic crisis itself, that has decreased democratic legitimation (Habermas 1975).

What Makes a Slovak a Nationalist

Many politicians and journalists who perceive a growth of nationalism in Central and Eastern Europe (in general) and in Slovakia (in particular) are very concerned about it. Is there, indeed, a growth in nationalism in Slovakia? And if so, what explains its continuation, rebirth, or growth? To answer these questions, we interviewed Slovak academicians and politicians. We also analyzed Slovak reports on public opinion survey data. Empirical data specifically on Slovakian nationalistic attitudes were not found. Consequently, statements on nationalism in (and the growth of nationalism among) the Slovak population are not based on empirical findings. However, there are certain indications about nationalism-related orientations. Between one-quarter and one-third of Slovaks had such orientations in 1992–4. Three categories of explanatory variables are distinguished: systemic, individual, and socialization. Many of the theoretical requirements leading to an increase in nationalism are present in Slovakia nowadays. These include a political, economic, and an identity crisis, with politicians acting as nationalistic ‘entrepreneurs’.

Ministers and the Role of Civil Servants in Cabinet Decision-Making

This chapter is concerned with the way in which ministers in Central Eastern Europe view their relationship with civil servants. The relationship between ‘politicians’ and ‘administrators’ has been controversial in many countries across the world and has even led to the suggestion that civil servants may subvert democracy and assume power. Public administration specialists have indeed advanced different models of what the relationship can be. Thus, Peters and Pierre suggest that the relationship between civil servants and politicians may be studied under two different perspectives — namely, the ‘(self-described) roles of politicians and civil servants’, on the one hand, and ‘the effects of systematic factors on relationships within the public sector’, on the other (Peters and Pierre 2001: 3). The first approach was put forward by Aberbach, Putnam and Rockman (1981) in their empirical study of bureaucrats while the latter approach is associated with the work of Peters (1986). Both approaches focus on the relative power of politicians and civil servants in policymaking processes and they are both concerned with the development of a professional and politically neutral administration.

Prime Ministers and Cabinet Decision-Making

In a parliamentary democracy the prime minister is the most influential, powerful and visible member of the government. A major debate has indeed taken place in the academic literature about this power, about the extent to which it has increased in parliamentary democracies and about the effect that such an increase may have on the nature of cabinet decision-making. Prime ministers have been said to vary from those who are ‘chairmen’ and whose ministers act with them to those who are ‘chiefs’ and whose ministers serve under them (Farrell 1971; Andeweg 1997).

Parliament and System Change in Slovakia

Before the heady days of November 1989, Slovakia’s parliament was little more than a regional rubber stamp, faithfully executing the wishes of the Czechoslovak Communist Party. Within the space of a few years, however, it had become the supreme legislative organ of a newly emerged democratic state.