Comparing Apples and Mangoes

S. N. Sangmpam

Description

Two competing approaches currently dominate the debate about the state and institutions in developing countries. The first projects a picture of transnational, vertical uniformity descending from the West to developing countries and views liberal democracy as "the only game in town." In this view, the state and institutions resemble or ought to resemble those in the West. The second, by contrast, explains political outcomes by local idiosyncrasies and regional variations in institutions. In his original approach to third world politics, S. N. Sangmpam challenges both views by uncovering important similarities in the political features of developing countries. He shows that they share political behaviors and features unaccounted for in either local/idiosyncratic or liberal democratic theories. These behaviors converge toward a common property—overpoliticization—that defies political compromise, leading to an overpoliticized state. Sangmpam provides a wealth of empirical, historical, and quantitative evidence from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the West and demonstrates the overpoliticized state constitutes the cornerstone of an integrated theory of politics in developing countries.
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction

1. Comparing Apples and Mangoes

           The Mischaracterization of Third World Experiences
           Setting the Framework: Comparing Apples and Mangoes
           Politics and Overpoliticization

2. Sins of Universalism and Particularism

           From the Behavioral Revolution to Modernization Theory
           Democratization by Institutional Fiat
           Universalism from the Left
           Particularism and Anti-Third Worldism
           Particularism in South America, Asia, and Africa
           Conclusion

3. Overpoliticization: Empirical and Historical Evidence

           Overpoliticized Behaviors in Democratic Regimes
           Overpoliticized Behaviors in Authoritarian Regimes
           Overpoliticized Behaviors Common to Democratic and Authoritarian Regimes
           Overpoliticized Behaviors in Western Countries
           Conclusion: Differences and Similarities

4. Overpoliticization: Quantitative Evidence

           Data and Procedure
           Results and Interpretation
           Conclusion: Differences and Similarities

5. Understanding the Overpoliticized State

           Political Institutions and the State as Effects of Politics
           Compromise-Resistant Politics and the Overpoliticized State
           The Liberal Democratic State as the Conceptual Contrast

6. Basic Hypotheses About the Overpoliticized State

           What Explains Liberal Compromise?
           What Explains Overpoliticization?
           Conclusion

Appendixes
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Development studies
• Political economy

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791479995
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Comparing Apples and Mangoes The Overpoliticized State in Developing Countries

S.N. Sangmpam

Comparing Apples and Mangoes

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Comparing Apples and Mangoes

The Overpoliticized State in Developing Countries

S. N. Sangmpam

S TATE  U NIVERSITY OF  N EW  Y ORK  P RESS

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2007 State University of New York

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For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

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Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Sangmpam, S. N.  Comparing apples and mangoes : the overpoliticized state in developing countries / S. N. Sangmpam.  p. cm.  Includes bibliographical references and index.  ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7113-5 (alk. paper)  1. Developing countries—Politics and government. 2. Developing countries— Economic conditions. 3. Developed countries—Economic conditions. 4. Developed countries—Politics and government. I. Title.

JF60.S26 2007 320.9172'4—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2006021970

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments

Introduction

Contents

Chapter 1. Comparing Apples and Mangoes The Mischaracterization of Third World Experiences Setting the Framework: Comparing Apples and Mangoes Politics and Overpoliticization

Chapter 2. Sins of Universalism and Particularism From the Behavioral Revolution to Modernization Theory Democratization by Institutional Fiat Universalism from the Left Particularism and Anti–Third Worldism Particularism in South America, Asia, and Africa Conclusion

Chapter 3. Overpoliticization: Empirical and Historical Evidence Overpoliticized Behaviors in Democratic Regimes Overpoliticized Behaviors in Authoritarian Regimes Overpoliticized Behaviors Common to Democratic and Authoritarian Regimes Overpoliticized Behaviors in Western Countries Conclusion: Differences and Similarities

Chapter 4. Overpoliticization: Quantitative Evidence Data and Procedure Results and Interpretation Conclusion: Differences and Similarities

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1

15 15 23 30

51 51 59 72 76 79 92

95 95 113

129 158 166

173 173 175 192

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Contents

Chapter 5. Understanding the Overpoliticized State Political Institutions and the State as Effects of Politics Compromise-Resistant Politics and the Overpoliticized State The Liberal Democratic State as the Conceptual Contrast

Chapter 6. Basic Hypotheses About the Overpoliticized State What Explains Liberal Compromise? What Explains Overpoliticization? Conclusion

Appendixes Notes Selected Bibliography Index

195 196 201 215

227 228 238 256

259 269 295 317

1.1

Illustrations

FIGURES

An Analogic Representation of Overpoliticization Versus Liberal Compromise

TABLES

1.1. Overpoliticized Behaviors in Electoralist Regimes 1.2. Overpoliticized Behaviors in Authoritarian Regimes 1.3. Overpoliticized Behaviors in both Electoralist and Authoritarian Regimes 3.1. Violent Opposition, 1948–96 3.2. Violent Opposition in South America, Asia, and Africa, 1948–66, 1967–89, 1990–96 (in percentages) 4.1. Presence of Overpoliticized Behaviors in South America, Asia, and Africa, 1948–66, 1967–89, 1990–96 (in percentages) 4.2. Presence of Overpoliticized Behaviors in Western Countries and Japan, 1948–66, 1967–89, 1990–96 (in percentages) 4.3. Presence of Overpoliticized Behaviors in Continental South America and the Caribbean, 1967–89, 1990–96 (in percentages) 4.4. Lack of Civil Liberties and Political Rights, 1967–89 (Means and Variations) 4.5. Frequency of Overpoliticized Behaviors, 1948–66, 1967–89, 1990–96 4.6. Pervasive Overpoliticized Behaviors, 1948–66, 1967–89, 1990–96 4.7. Frequency of Overpoliticized Behaviors and Their Variations 4.8. Frequency of Overpoliticized Behaviors: Analysis of Variance 4.9. Benferroni Test: Multiple Comparisons

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45 46

47 153

153

176

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186 187 188 189

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Acknowledgments

A while ago I published an essay critical of, among others, Guillermo O’Donnell’s theory of the state in Latin America. As one of the reviewers of the essay, O’Donnell, while in agreement with the substance of my argument, warned that to meet the kind of requirements I had set for a better understand- ing of the state in developing countries would take a lifelong project. This book is part of this lifelong project. Because in pursuing the argument I have had to clear first the undergrowth by taking a critical stand vis-à-vis other scholars’ works, my first words of acknowledgment are addressed to this group of scholars, including O’Donnell. Their works served as an intellectual stimulus for mine. And there is no better way of saying it than by paraphras- ing Charles Lindblom’s words to his critics in the preface toInquiry and Change. Speaking of the price society pays for consensus and stability, he remarks that rather than know the price or discuss it, the critics wish to turn their attention and his [Lindblom’s] back to recounting the benefits them- selves. Paraphrasing him, I am aware of the contributions made by all the works discussed in this study. Rather than recount their contributions, I focus on those aspects of the works that, when subjected to criticism, are likely to advance the debate. Beyond this, my words of gratitude go to (the late) John Nagle and Mehrzad Boroujerdi of Syracuse University and Chris Anderson and Peter Katzenstein of Cornell University for their comments on selected parts of the earlier draft; to David Ost of Hobart College, who read the entire manuscript and forced me to rethink some of the issues; to Bob Mupier of Prairie View A&M University and Freedom King of Cornell University for long discussions on the quantitative portion of the study; to Joe Hotchkasst of Cornell University, whose expertise in fruits helped put my fruit analogy on firmer grounds; to Andrea Burke for designing the diagram for the anal- ogy; to my students in the graduate seminar on Comparative State-Society Relations at Syracuse University for their insight and skeptical questions; and to the Press’s anonymous reviewers for their perceptive comments. I also want to thank Michael Rinella, an acquisitions editor at SUNY Press, who maintained his interest in the book. Needless to say, I alone bear the respon- sibility for any error of conceptualization and interpretation.

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