CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2014
| Author | Kocijan, Bojana |
|---|---|
| Title | MINDSET MATTERS: UNDERSTANDING PRIME MINISTERS' PERFORMANCE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE |
| Summary | This dissertation explores the role of political culture in leadership performance. The literature has hitherto only speculated about the role culture plays in how leaders perform. This study argues that mindset matters and demonstrates it largely accounts for prime ministers’ integrity of conduct and effective governance that improves citizens’ welfare. The study assesses the performance of 33 Eastern European prime ministers in democratic governance based on an original data collection using expert surveys. Prime ministers’ performance in democratic governance requires delivering effective outcomes in European Union (EU) integration, economic and social policy making by concomitant respect for democratic institutions. Policy outcomes set as criteria for assessing performance requires establishing that prime ministers are the main policymaking actors. The study demonstrates that despite their formally weak Constitutional powers, most Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) prime ministers are perceived as strong in reference to their policymaking abilities. Findings of the study only partially confirm the negative culture thesis. CEE prime ministers are generally average politicians moderately respectful of democratic institutions and moderately committed to reforms that improve citizens’ welfare. They neither greatly improve nor severely erode the democratic framework or policy outcomes in EU integration, economic and social policymaking. They are largely pro-European politicians valuing EU membership and engaging in activities that bring their countries closer to the EU. That they are more democratic than effective relates to the complexity of transitions and structural reforms. Polish and Estonian prime ministers perform best in democratic governance, while Latvian prime ministers perform worst, which is in line with generally higher corruption rates in Latvia than in other countries. In reference to prime ministers’ programmatic performance, the study finds cultural variables outperform demographic and contextual variables. According to path-dependent theories, old values carry over from the past and appear important under democracy. Leaders’ mindsets, the study shows, are especially relevant in newly democratized settings where old norms and values continue to influence present developments. CEE prime ministers were socialized during communism, which was characterized by values different from norms required for democratic governance. Once transmitted into democratized settings, the old values manifested as populism, personalization of politics and corruption. Prime ministers characterized as populists and engaged in populist rhetoric are more likely to violate the democratic framework and deliver ineffective policies that erode citizens’ welfare. While the study shifts the research focus from exploring aspects of prime ministers’ position in the decision-making realm (procedural performance) to exploring the outcomes of their conduct and policymaking (programmatic performance) it also demonstrates that the relationship between different types of performance is not always symmetrical as literature suggests but very often asymmetrical. Prime ministers’ better programmatic performance did not always increase their electoral prospects. The study suggests that contextual factors surrounding elections, rather than past record in office, explains why Eastern Europeans sanction leaders who perform well and frequently keep in office leaders who performed poorly. |
| Supervisor | Bozóki, András |
| Department | Political Science PhD |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2014/kocijan_bojana.pdf |
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