CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2009
| Author | Mackova, Emanuela Marta |
|---|---|
| Title | Conflict Management in Multi-Ethnic States: the role of Elites in the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia and Serbia and Montenegro |
| Summary | The thesis examines the Czechoslovak Federal Republic and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and their peaceful break-ups under the prism of consociational theory. Arend Lijphart developed the consociational formula in to explain the stability of divided states. He argues that social divisions in a plural society can be neutralized at the elite level, where the roots of division can be exploited through power-sharing instruments (a mutual veto right, autonomy, government by grand coalition, proportional representation) to build a stable democracy. Lijphart admits the positive contribution of several favorable factors - which are however not necessary. Most important in Lijphart’s theory remain his four basic conditions meant to be conducive to elite cooperation and which elites are expected to exploit in this goal. This implies first that elites have a central soothing impact for deescalating tensions and social divisions. Second it implies that the Lijphart’s power-sharing instruments will be used in a positive way and that they have only one possible outcome: cooperation. However Lijphart's theory is challenged by two cases - Czechoslovakia after 1989 and Serbia and Montenegro after 2002 - in which although his four basic conditions were present, not only did the common states fail to reach stability but - and in opposition to the consociational goal – they actually dismantled after a rather short existence marred by political stalemates, much of it sustained by the elites. Since Czechoslovakia and Serbia and Montenegro fulfilled Lijphart’s requirements, they should have managed to overcome their internal divisions – but they did not manage to live beyond three years, after which they peacefully separated. Their break-ups seriously challenge the primary – and thereby contentious responsibility placed by Lijphart in the elites in conflict regulation and for the preservation of state stability. The thesis will argue that the genuine commitment of elites is more important than any of the institutional mechanisms for a stable state to exist. In fact, it will be shown that even with Lijphart’s four conditions, without a genuine commitment of elites to a common state the leaders can actually easily exploit any circumstance and Lijphart’s institutional instruments in particular to create or increase tensions to the point of bringing the country to its collapse. Part of the argument is based on the interview with Miroslav Lajčák, which used to work as EU High Representative in Montenegro and as such mediated the negotiations between the Montenegrin government and the opposition prior to the referendum on independence in 2006, where the international community played a critical role. |
| Supervisor | Pogonyi, Szabolcs; Bieber, Florian |
| Department | Nationalism Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2009/mackova_emanuela.pdf |
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