DOCSLIB.ORG

G3 June 2018

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
G3 June 2018 Reports POLAND MARKET P42 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA Poland Polishing its new gaming crown Poland has quietly and modestly grown into one of Europe’s biggest gambling success stories. After changes in legislation a few years ago the Polish betting market has grown significantly with operator turnover doubling over the last three years. Poland has had a turbulent past. It was dealt a government’s loose fiscal policy and a harsh hand and historically has bounced commitment to rein in spending. between periods of oppression and independence. It was destined to be the One of the most important aspects of the Polish economic underachiever. But it proved the economy is the large domestic consumer market. doubters wrong. This is currently accountable for 61 per cent of its GDP and is expected to be one of the main It is a robust nation made up of sturdy stock with drivers of the economy for the mid term. a proud cultural heritage and since 1995 has become the fastest growing large economy in the Meanwhile the government has also recently world and is a European success story in many introduced several policies to boost spending and aspects. From once having virtually no trade economic growth further. with the West and being cut off from the world, Poland has flourished over the last few decades. The Family 500+ (Rodzina 500+) programme was As the Berlin wall fell a wave of Western media introduced in 2016 to boost birth rates and and influences flooded into the country and it reduce child poverty. It gave parents a tax free began to boom and expand. Today Poland is the benefit of PLN500 (€130) per month for the sixth largest economy in the EU with a total GDP second and consecutive child (until they reach of €524bn. 18) and for their first child if on a low income. This was a huge boost for families and the This is mostly down to its large domestic market, programme was amended last summer and it early economic reforms, fast institution building, now applies to all families with any number of a boom in education and an open and children regardless of income. transparent privatisation policy. This is part of a welfare package which also saw No mean feat for a country without any real a cut in the retirement age (65 men and 60 natural resources. During the global recession women) and a one-off bonus pension payment. Poland was the only country in the EU to avoid a Other changes saw the minimum wage in Poland recession, which was in part due to the also increased to PLN2,250 (around €500) per Western video game publishers have been investing in Poland and are outsourcing their projects in a country with lower labour costs. There are around 300 game developing companies operating in Poland at the moment. The internal market is big. As of 2018 video game sales in Poland were worth around €485m (about 24th in the world). NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P43 Reports POLAND MARKET People under 26 years of age are now exempt from income tax to encourage them to remain in Poland, plus there are lower taxes planned for the general population. The income tax exemption came into effect mid 2019 and means around two million workers with an annual income of less than PLN85,528 (€22,547) don’t have to pay the 18 per cent income tax. month whilst the minimum hourly rate of those by CD Projekt Red, developer of the PLN14.70 (€3.30) was introduced. Witcher series, Techland (Dead Island series), Flying Wild Hog (Shadow Warrior) and CI In addition, people under 26 years of age are Games (Sniper Ghost Warrior). now exempt from income tax to encourage them to remain in Poland, plus there are lower taxes The video games sector has exploded mostly due planned for the general population. The income to cheap costs and publishing. A country which tax exemption came into effect mid 2019 and once had no access to Western video games has means around two million young workers with been absorbing this technology and leisure providing schemes and grants to help an annual income of less than PLN85,528 activity for the last 30 years. There is a huge developers of all sizes plus initiatives to support (€22,547) don’t have to pay the 18 per cent demand in Poland for video games stemming start ups and contests for student projects. income tax. It is hoped this will help increase back to youngsters playing on pirate games in sectors such as retail, real estate and leisure the early 80s. But despite the positives, Poland is still a far cry activities. And it seems to be working. from an economic utopia. Politically there are Western publishers have been investing in issues. Regardless of the favourable economic The construction and real estate sectors are Poland and are outsourcing their projects in a policies the country has a rather nationalist and booming and international companies such as country with lower labour costs. There are xenophobic party in power. IBM, Citi Group and Credit Swiss are relocating around 300 game developing companies part of their operations to Poland. operating in Poland at the moment. The internal POLITICS AND TOURISM market is big. As of 2018 video game sales in Poland has seen 17 different governments since The country has also found new sectors to focus Poland were worth around €485m (about 24th 1990 and the most recent general election in on and one of the fastest growing markets is in the world). October 2019 saw the Law and Justice Party video game development. Poland now boasts (PiS) reinstated. The PiS has governed olandP several critically acclaimed games including The government has also backed the industry since 2015, when after eight years in opposition, P44 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA it became the first party to win an absolute twin brother Lech who was later elected safeguarding Poland against migrants and majority in a Polish election since the fall of President in 2005. Lech later died five years later refugees from the Middle East and Africa as well communism in 1989. Andrzej Duda took over as in a plane crash in Russia. as from LGBT people. Despite this, it remains the President in 2015 replacing Bronislaw most popular party in Poland and the country Komorowski of the centrist Civic Platform. The Although Kaczynski served as Prime Minister continues to develop. Civic Platform (PO) was co-founded by Donald between 2006 and 2007, he now governs from Tusk in 2001 and was in power from 2007 until behind the scenes but remains one of Poland’s Meanwhile tourism figures are increasing 2015. least trusted politicians. In 2015, he made Beata rapidly. Safety appears to be a key reason. Szydlo Prime Minister and she became the face Poland is viewed as a safe, friendly and Over the last few years the party has moved the of many of Poland’s generous welfare policies. hospitable country whilst the country’s cultural country into an illiberal direction and alarm Kaczynski later replaced her with former and natural heritage is a huge draw. bells have been ringing in Brussels over its finance minister Mateusz Morawiecki. efforts to control the judiciary. Total tourists in 2018 amounted to 19.6 million The conservative PiS party have promoted strict (18.2 million in 2017) with an expenditure of The PiS today is headed by Chairman Jaroslaw Christian values, are homophobic and are PLN34.5bn and an average expenditure of Kaczynski who co-founded PiS in 2001 with his considered a right-wing party intend on PLN1,759 (€430) per person. There are over NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P45 11,000 tourist accommodation establishments in Between 2010 and 2014 one in 10 people from carried out by the National Revenue Poland. Poland emigrated to Western Europe. But the Administration (NRA). Ukrainians and Belarusians have stepped into The number of tourists during the first five their shoes and to date the number of The Gambling Act of 2009 governs the Polish months of 2019 (Jan to May) reached 12.8m immigrants has reached two million mark. gambling market which defines several types of (11.8m for the same period in 2018) of which gambling games permitted and grouped in four 7.7m were domestic guests and 2.4m were THE GAMBLING MARKET categories: foreign guests. The Polish gambling law has been in existence since 1992 and although it has undergone Games of chance – an umbrella term to include The majority of visitors are coming from several amendments the most significant games conducted via the internet, number Germany (6.7m), Ukraine (2m), from Russia and happened in 2017 which changed the market games, cylindrical games (roulette etc), dice the UK. There is also a marked increase in quite considerably. games, cash bingo, telebingo, cash lotteries etc. visitors from China, Israel and South Korea. The amendments brought in several changes Betting – totalisator and bookmaking So does Poland’s growth look set to continue? At including the opening of state-run gambling the moment it is heading to top of the class. It arcades; the launch of state-run online casinos Card games – blackjack, poker, baccarat etc. doubled its GDP over the last two decades and it games, a tightening of the online market to stop is now predicted that the Polish economy will unlicensed bookmakers; the introduction of Slot machines. the join the G-20 list of those largest in the Eurojackpot and online lottery whilst poker world by 2022. tournaments were also permitted.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Short History of Poland and Lithuania
    A Short History of Poland and Lithuania Chapter 1. The Origin of the Polish Nation.................................3 Chapter 2. The Piast Dynasty...................................................4 Chapter 3. Lithuania until the Union with Poland.........................7 Chapter 4. The Personal Union of Poland and Lithuania under the Jagiellon Dynasty. ..................................................8 Chapter 5. The Full Union of Poland and Lithuania. ................... 11 Chapter 6. The Decline of Poland-Lithuania.............................. 13 Chapter 7. The Partitions of Poland-Lithuania : The Napoleonic Interlude............................................................. 16 Chapter 8. Divided Poland-Lithuania in the 19th Century. .......... 18 Chapter 9. The Early 20th Century : The First World War and The Revival of Poland and Lithuania. ............................. 21 Chapter 10. Independent Poland and Lithuania between the bTwo World Wars.......................................................... 25 Chapter 11. The Second World War. ......................................... 28 Appendix. Some Population Statistics..................................... 33 Map 1: Early Times ......................................................... 35 Map 2: Poland Lithuania in the 15th Century........................ 36 Map 3: The Partitions of Poland-Lithuania ........................... 38 Map 4: Modern North-east Europe ..................................... 40 1 Foreword. Poland and Lithuania have been linked together in this history because
    [Show full text]
  • Implementation of the Helsinki Accords Hearings
    BASKET III: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HELSINKI ACCORDS HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE NINETY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION THE CRISIS IN POLAND AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE HELSINKI PROCESS DECEMBER 28, 1981 Printed for the use of the - Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 9-952 0 'WASHINGTON: 1982 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE DANTE B. FASCELL, Florida, Chairman ROBERT DOLE, Kansas, Cochairman ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah SIDNEY R. YATES, Illinois JOHN HEINZ, Pennsylvania JONATHAN B. BINGHAM, New York ALFONSE M. D'AMATO, New York TIMOTHY E. WIRTH, Colorado CLAIBORNE PELL, Rhode Island MILLICENT FENWICK, New Jersey PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont DON RITTER, Pennsylvania EXECUTIVE BRANCH The Honorable STEPHEN E. PALMER, Jr., Department of State The Honorable RICHARD NORMAN PERLE, Department of Defense The Honorable WILLIAM H. MORRIS, Jr., Department of Commerce R. SPENCER OLIVER, Staff Director LYNNE DAVIDSON, Staff Assistant BARBARA BLACKBURN, Administrative Assistant DEBORAH BURNS, Coordinator (II) ] CONTENTS IMPLEMENTATION. OF THE HELSINKI ACCORDS The Crisis In Poland And Its Effects On The Helsinki Process, December 28, 1981 WITNESSES Page Rurarz, Ambassador Zdzislaw, former Polish Ambassador to Japan .................... 10 Kampelman, Ambassador Max M., Chairman, U.S. Delegation to the CSCE Review Meeting in Madrid ............................................................ 31 Baranczak, Stanislaw, founder of KOR, the Committee for the Defense of Workers.......................................................................................................................... 47 Scanlan, John D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, Depart- ment of State ............................................................ 53 Kahn, Tom, assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO ..........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Czechoslovak-Polish Relations 1918-1968: the Prospects for Mutual Support in the Case of Revolt
    University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1977 Czechoslovak-Polish relations 1918-1968: The prospects for mutual support in the case of revolt Stephen Edward Medvec The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Medvec, Stephen Edward, "Czechoslovak-Polish relations 1918-1968: The prospects for mutual support in the case of revolt" (1977). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 5197. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/5197 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CZECHOSLOVAK-POLISH RELATIONS, 191(3-1968: THE PROSPECTS FOR MUTUAL SUPPORT IN THE CASE OF REVOLT By Stephen E. Medvec B. A. , University of Montana,. 1972. Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1977 Approved by: ^ .'■\4 i Chairman, Board of Examiners raduat'e School Date UMI Number: EP40661 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.
    [Show full text]
  • Study - Exploiting the Possibility of Creating a Rail
    Study - Exploiting the Possibility of Creating a Rail Freight Corridor Linking Poland and the Netherlands Study - Exploiting the Possibility of Creating a Rail Freight Corridor Linking Poland and the Netherlands drs. A.A. Roest Crollius This report has been financed by the Ministry of Transport Poland and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management the Netherlands. Reference R20100005/31069000/ARC/RLO Final Version Zoetermeer, March 2010 Study - Exploiting the Possibility of Creating a Rail Freight Corridor Linking Poland and the Netherlands Contents 1 MANAGEMENT SUMMARY 7 1.1 Introduction 7 1.2 Task 1 – Current situation on the market and its’ potential for further development 7 1.3 Task 2 – Identification of barriers to further development 10 1.4 Task 3 – Selection of the Paths and Terminals 12 1.5 Task 4: Action Plan for Rail Freight Corridor the Netherlands – Poland 14 1.5.1 Introduction 14 1.5.2 Methodology 15 1.5.3 Main barriers to the corridor development 15 1.5.4 Action Plan 16 1.5.5 Elaboration of the action plan 21 1.6 Strategies considered by the market players 27 1.6.1 Most important milestones 29 2 CURRENT SITUATION ON THE MARKET AND ITS’ POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 31 2.1 Freight volumes analysis on the corridor Netherlands – Poland 32 2.1.1 Introduction 32 2.1.2 Methodology rail corridor Netherlands – Poland study 36 2.1.3 Results 38 2.1.4 Conclusions 46 2.2 Intermodal transport analysis 46 2.2.1 Rail shuttle connections and market parties 48 2.2.2 Rail transport compared to other transport modes
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Review of Labour Relations and Social Dialogue
    2018 POLAND By Michał Polakowski Forecasts Socio-economic developments Industrial relations Annual Review of Labour Relations and Social Dialogue State policies Tripartite social dialogue Annual Review 2018 of Labour Relations and Social Dialogue Poland / By Michał Polakowski • Developments in Poland in 2018 from many points of view were a continuation of the situation in 2017. The support for the ruling coalition remained strong. In general, the political environment is relatively unpredictable, also when relations with the European Union are concerned. The PiS-led coalition government had been reshuffled in December 2017, with a new Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, and several crucial ministers being replaced. The political scene remains highly polarised with a notable weakness of the left. • In economic terms, in 2018 Poland continued a positive trend of an increasing employment level and record low unemployment. Only in the last months of the year did unemployment start to grow slightly. While a shortage of workers in the labour market is being discussed, the increase in salaries is relatively modest. At the same time, the labour market is relying increasingly on foreigners. • A major development in the social sphere is a reform of the pension system introducing quasi-mandatory occupational pension schemes for the largest companies (and to be further introduced in smaller entities). The marginalisation of social dialogue on the central level continued as the government ignored the role of the Social Dialogue Council in important socio-economic legislation. • Apart from the crisis regarding the judiciary and the state of democracy in Poland, there was a growing unrest in the public sector – in police, healthcare, education and some state-owned companies.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender Quotas in the Post-Communist World: Voice of the Parliamentarians by Joshua Dubrow and Adrianna Zabrzewska (Eds.) Was Reviewed by Julia Kubisa (D.Sc
    1 Voice of the Parliamentarians Voice of the Parliamentarians IFiS PAN Publishers Warszawa 2020 This book was funded by the National Science Centre, Poland (project number //B/HS/). The monograph Gender Quotas in the Post-Communist World: Voice of the Parliamentarians by Joshua Dubrow and Adrianna Zabrzewska (eds.) was reviewed by Julia Kubisa (d.sc. Institute of Sociology, University of Warsaw). Cover design Joshua Dubrow, Adrianna Zabrzewska, Andrzej Łubniewski The cover art is by Zamir Dubrow. Proofreading Active Communication & Transaltion Burzyński Golubiewski s.c. Copyright © by Authors and Wydawnictwo IFiS PAN ISBN ---- IFiS PAN Publishers - Warsaw, Nowy Świat e-mail: publish@ifi span.edu.pl www.ifi span.waw.pl Table of Contents Preface ............................................................................................. About the Contributors ................................................................... Introduction: Voice, Inequality, and Representation ................... Joshua K. Dubrow and Adrianna Zabrzewska Chapter One: An Introduction to Gender Quotas in Europe ....... Joshua K. Dubrow and Adrianna Zabrzewska Chapter Two: Women in the Parliaments of the Communist and Post-Communist World, – ............................................. Joshua K. Dubrow Chapter Three: Electoral Gender Quotas in Post-Communist Countries as of ........................................................................ Anna Sedysheva, with Joshua K. Dubrow Chapter Four: Polish Parliamentarian Arguments on Gender Descriptive
    [Show full text]
  • Isbn: 978-80-7510-234-8
    ISBN: 978-80-7510-234-8 2015 – Elections in Poland and Spain and their consequences Editors: Mariusz Kolczyński, Małgorzata Myśliwiec, María José Pérez del Pozo Opava 2017 dĂďůĞŽĨŽŶƚĞŶƚƐ INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 3 Causes of Changes in Political Situation in Poland and Spain in 2015 ..................................... 7 (Małgorzata Myśliwiec) POLAND .................................................................................................................................. 22 Political and Personality Aspects of Creating Political Leadership in 2015 Presidential Election in Poland (Rafał Glajcar, Agnieszka Turska-Kawa, Waldemar Wojtasik) .............................. 23 European Union in Electoral Programmes of Polish Political Parties in 2015 (Tomasz Kubin) .................................................................................................................................................. 41 Central and Eastern Europe in Electoral Programmes of Polish Political Parties in 2015 (Sebastian Kubas) ..................................................................................................................... 55 Television in the 2015 Electoral Campaign in Poland (Mariusz Kolczyński, Dagmara Głuszek- Szafraniec) ................................................................................................................................ 65 Social Media in an Electoral Campaign: The Case of Polish Parliamentary
    [Show full text]
  • Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden Under German Occupation: 1915-1918
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-2010 Shattered Communities: Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden under German Occupation: 1915-1918 Tracey Hayes Norrell [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Diplomatic History Commons, European History Commons, History of Religion Commons, Military History Commons, and the Political History Commons Recommended Citation Norrell, Tracey Hayes, "Shattered Communities: Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden under German Occupation: 1915-1918. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/834 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Tracey Hayes Norrell entitled "Shattered Communities: Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden under German Occupation: 1915-1918." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in History. Vejas G. Liulevicius, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend
    [Show full text]
  • Vol. 11 No. 3 March/April
    Polish Heritage Club March marzec April kwiecie ń of Wisconsin-Madison 2012 Vol. 11, Issue 3 Founded in 1979 as a non-profit organization to promote Polish Heritage through educational, cultural, charitable and social activities. PO Box 45438, Madison, WI 53744-5438 http://www.phcwi-madison.org Email: [email protected] and Facebook Board of Directors LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT A Palm Sunday - Niedziela Palmowa - tradition…. A warm hello to all PHCWI members. 11-3 pm Apr 1 PHCWI Spring Festival Executive Committee: Welcome to the new Board of Directors. Immaculate Heart of Mary School - Monona President My main objective for this year is to improve on Butch Luick the club activities and add to them. In order to 4913 Schofield St 244-4388 do, this I would like to hear from our members From South Beltline: about what they would like. One idea is to have Vice-President turn north Monona Dr. Stan Graiewski a pig roast for the picnic. But in order to do this 1.5 miles. Across from 249 -2304 we need to have a good turnout. Another idea is golf course, turn left on to have a tailgate party at a Mallards game, pre- St. Theresa Ter. to the Past-President game party for an evening game or a before/ school on Schofield St John Benninghouse after gathering for an afternoon game. If you Watch for our signs. 442-5222 have any suggestions, you can email me at [email protected] or (608) 244-4388. Secretary NEW THIS YEAR Mar 15 deadline to pre-order Patricia Brinkman We had a special guest at our Feb.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Political Parties in Poland
    List of political parties in Poland This article lists current political parties in Poland, as • Your Movement (TR) – Liberal, anti-clerical party, well as former parties dating back as far as 1918. Since founded as Palikot’s Movement (RP) in 2010 by 1989, Poland has had a multi-party system, with numer- maverick M.P Janusz Palikot, a former Civic Plat- ous competing political parties. Individual parties nor- form politician. RP created something of a stir at mally do not manage to gain power alone, and usually the 2011 elections, where it polled 10% of the vote, work with other parties to form coalition governments. making it the third largest party, ahead of two of the established parties, PSL and SLD. In October 2013 RP merged with a few smaller parties to form a new 1 Parliamentary parties party, Your Movement. • United Poland (SP) – Right-wing and Eurosceptic Figures in parentheses reflect initial number of seats won party which split from PiS, following the expulsion by party (if different from current number), prior to splits, of Zbigniew Ziobro and his factional allies from the defections, etc. party, following the 2011 parliamentary elections. 2 List of parties 2.3 Minor parties • Poland Together (PR) – Splinter party formed 2.1 Major parties in 2013 under the leadership of Jaroslaw Gowin, breaking away from Civic Platform. • Civic Platform (PO) – One of the two major par- • Labor United (UP) – Small social-democratic party ties on the Polish political scene since 2005, PO first which usually aligns itself with the Democratic Left entered the Sejm in 2001.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Analysis of the Polish Parliament 2007-2010
    Spatial Analysis of the Polish Parliament 2007-2010 October 22, 2010 Monika Turynaa Abstract The following work presents a comprehensive analysis of the Polish parliamentary elections in 2007 and subsequent formation of coalitional government and it's policy choice from the public choice. The aim of this work is to apply spatial competition approach and public choice research on coalitional bargaining to the case of Polish parliamentary elections. On the basis of valence model equilibrium predictions we find that for two parties the Downsian behavior is not likely. Second part of the empirical study deals with coalitional behavior, and again we find strategic behavior of the LiD party. The uncovered set and Schattschneider set are analyzed in comparison with the pension system reform conducted in 2007-2009. It turns out that theoretical predictions made with the use of cooperative game theoretical concepts correspond well to the actual policy choice. Keywords: spatial competition, Poland, coalition formation a Department of Economics, University of Vienna. Hohenstaufengasse 9, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] 1 1 Introduction Poland is a very young modern democracy. The first partially free election took place in 1989, when just 35% of the seats in Sejm and all the seats in the Senate were assured to be freely elected. The first entirely free election was conducted in 1991. Up until 2007 only 7 parliamentary elections have taken place. Although, historical events still play a major role in determining the shape of the political competition and its differing ideologies, recent literature on has shown that Central European party systems develop similarly to Western Europe and are in many aspects such as volatility or longevity of governments comparable or even better (see, e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • The Best of Fpri's Essays On
    60th Anniversary Edition THE BEST OF FPRI’S ESSAYS ON Democratic Transitions 2005-2015 FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE The Best of FPRI’s Essays on Democratic Transitions, 2006-2015 Project on Democratic Transitions Edited by: Maia Otarashvili July 2015 FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE www.fpri.org FOREWORD By Ambassador Adrian A. Basora Director of FPRI’s Project on Democratic Transitions July 2015 To judge by the headlines of recent months, democracy might seem to be in prolonged retreat throughout the world. Rather than “democratic transitions,” perhaps we should instead speak of authoritarian regression or, some would argue, the futility of America’s attempts to promote the spread of democracy abroad. Certainly, the global picture is far less rosy today than when we launched the Project on Democratic Transitions a decade ago. Yet, in the longer sweep of history, the story is not black- and-white; the lessons from the attempted democratic transitions of the past three decades are instead nuanced. When we began the PDT in early 2005, there had been fifteen years of dramatic progress after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The stifling communist dictatorships of Europe and Eurasia had crumbled, leading to rapid democratization in much of the region and culminating in Ukraine’s 2004 “Orange Revolution.” At the time, many analysts saw this as the wave of the future, not just in Europe/Eurasia but globally. Instead, the past decade has produced many disappointed hopes and significant regression in some countries. This is true not only in the post-communist region but also in the Arab world, in Latin America and elsewhere.
    [Show full text]