O Estado, o estatismo autoritário e as políticas públicas na concepção de Poulantzas

This article explores the capitalist state notion from the perspective developed by Nicos Poulantzas in his latest book (The State, the power, the socialism - 1978), as well as it evaluates how his analysis enable the public policies understanding today . The concept of State is presented as the material condensation of a force relation, progressing to an authoritarian statism, a concept developed by Poulantzas to explain the Executive power strengthening and the political democracy institutions decline. Concluding that the Poulantzian thought, despite of being based on his analysis in the 1970s, remains current and allows the public policies understanding in contemporary times.

Monetary integration in the Eurozone and the rise of transnational authoritarian statism

The negotiations over the Eurozone crisis have increasingly come to reflect Poulantzas’ idea of ‘authoritarian statism’, i.e., a decline in the relevance of democratic institutions and a shift in political power towards technical state apparatuses. Yet, scholarly approaches to transnational integration have provided little guidance as to why monetary relations have become such a pronounced point of condensation for the contradictions inherent in European integration. While mainstream theories of monetary unions such as optimal currency area theory neglect the impact of state power and class interests on monetary politics, more critical perspectives on transnational integration have paid insufficient attention to monetary governance and its role in the mediation of international relations. The present paper brings heterodox theories of international relations and monetary integration to bear on the increasingly authoritarian dynamics of Eurozone governance. Reflecting on Bruff’s discussion of authoritarian neoliberalism, we proceed to examine how the circumvention of democratic institutions via Eurozone monetary governance is more precisely captured through the notion of transnational authoritarian statism. We develop this concept in relation to two historical periods of European integration: the formation of the Economic and Monetary Union and the recent extension of the European Central Bank’s scope of monetary governance.

Contradictions of international migration in terms of political economy

The political economy approach that entails critical arguments in relation to the processes of migration in neoliberal terms is developed in the paper. Starting with the account that migration covers as broad issues as politics, economics and population dynamic, the authors address the issue of migration in the political economy circuits of neoliberalization. In fact, the main line of argument is connected to the political economy as the relevant discursive frame and explanatory principle for the articulation of the complexity of migration. Critical arguments relating to the processes of migration in the neoliberal context thematize the mechanism of implemented flexibilisation and deregulation of labor. Demographic dynamics is essential in this context, but the authors intend to identify those political economy processes that lead to high precariousness, to various forms of temporary labor which are closely associated with forced labor forms. The category of forced labor is emphasized in the contemporary forms of migration, because this mode of labor facilitates the migration throughout the world. Furthermore, the authors point out the contradictory position of the state in relation to the migration-processes and analyse the authoritarian statism. This argumentation leads to articulation of the contradictory position of neoliberalization. The neoliberal discourses bring out the critical stance concerning the supremacy of the state, but it plays a key role in the regulation of migration. The state exposed to migration is faced with the contradictory demands. The globalization indicates the world without borders but is faced with the same contradictions. It is no coincidence that the intention of the reconceptualizations of globalization are interested in promoting global public goods. The processes of privatization in the sphere of the regulation of migration sharpen the contradictions of migration in the context of neoliberalization. The political economy approach is faced with the tension between the two approaches. The first proposed regulation and workforce management at the supranational level. The other remains in the framework of ?methodological nationalism?: the appropriate starting point is the national state. Given the fact that structural inequalities should be recognized at a global level, and that processes of migration show that there is a certain hierarchical global flow in the context of the dynamics of workforce, the first approach proves to be inadequate. In other words, the second approach could not articulate the relevant tendencies. Accordingly, the political economy approach that intends to include complex determination regarding the migration should integrate the national trends in the supranational framework. But, proper research should take into account that globalization and its complex order consist of a number of interventions and interferences. This means that the aforementioned approach must develop sufficiently complex methodology in order to articulate its selected subject.

Multiple Krise, autoritäre Demokratie und radikaldemokratische Erneuerung

The article sketches out three arguments: a) The financial crisis that dominates the economic and political processes since 2008 transforms the transnationalized network state into a new form of the exceptional state. Arguing against those who describe the actual conjuncture as authoritarian statism, Demirovi? argues that the new is a governmentalized austerity state. b) Since long critical state theory argues that democracy is in a crisis. But the process is not one of a constant decline but rather a cycle; and the cycle is determined by the compromises between social classes. c) In the recent crisis of democracy not only new actors appeared fighting for real democracy but also the theories of radical democracy became radicalized. This is demonstrated in the discussion of the approaches of Jürgen Habermas and Chantal Mouffe. The theory of democracy overcomes the liberal distinction of economy and politics and tends to democratize social complexity in itself.

Crisis, Planning, and the Quality of Life: Managing the New Historical Relationships between Space and Society

We live in the midst of a major structural crisis. This crisis is multidimensional, cultural, and political, as well as economic. Spatial forms and urban issues are simultaneously being reshaped by this crisis and becoming powerful instruments for the policies aimed at managing the crisis from different viewpoints according to the pattern of contradictory social interests. The first part of the paper tries to outline the main effects of the crisis on the urban realm, focusing particularly on the spatial consequences of the new technologies, that could be devastating if they were used to harden the dominant tendencies of corporate capitalism and authoritarian statism. The second part of the paper attempts to foresee some potential alternatives to managing the crisis, on the basis of the projects of defending collective consumption, affirming cultural identity, and enhancing political self-management, that are being fostered by grass-roots groups and progressive local governments all over the world. Relying on some recent experiences of local government in Europe and the USA, the paper ends by outlining some alternative urban policies that could also be socially feasible, technically efficient, and politically progressive. Between defensive struggles and shortsighted reformism, this paper tries to explore the field of the new paths of urban social change in our time and in our societies.