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The New Presence Dominik Jůn contents E d i t o r ’ s N o t e s the new presence Dominik Jůn..............................................................................................................................2 Winter 2008 O p i n i o n s Democracy.“Plus”? n Simon Pardek..................................................................................3 Statesmen.and.Gentlemen n Libuše Koubská....................................................................4 Divine.Wrongs n Eva Munková.........................................................................................5. N e w s R o u n d u p A.look.at.events.in.the.Czech.Republic.as.well.as.. key.stories.from.Central.and.Eastern.Europe.from.the.last.few.months................................6 P o i n t : C ounterpoint Should Quotas Be Used to Put More Women in Politics? We.Must.Redress.the.Imbalance n Jana Hybášková..........................................................8 The.Road.to.Hell n Jiří Šolc................................................................................................9 C o m m e n t Czech.Presidents:.A.Blunderous.History n Dominik Jůn...............................................10 16 Th e C z e c h R e p u b l i c A.Crisis.of.Leadership n Eric Tabery...............................................................................13 The.Awkward.Revolution n Gia Emilia Castellano and Dominik Jůn..............................16 Gifts.of.The.Empire n Alexander Loesch.........................................................................20 Step.by.Step n Zdeněk Suda.............................................................................................22 E u r o p e & Th e Wo r l d The.Populist.Moment n Ivan Krastev...............................................................................24 The.Sinking.of.the.Pamir n Jaroslav Šonka......................................................................28 The.Rise.and.Fall.of.the.Social.State n Martin Zika........................................................30 I n t e r v i e w Former dissident Jan Urban discusses the Diag Human affair n Libuše Koubská and 46 Martin Jan Stránský.................................................................................................................33 Growing Old Old.and.Alone.in.the.Czech.Republic n Fabiano Golgo..................................................37 Here.Come.the.Pensioners n Libuše Bautzová.................................................................40 Dying.on.Time n Martin Jan Stránský.............................................................................43 Still.Here n Tereza Brdečková...........................................................................................44 S p e c i a l F e a t u r e s Government.Inc. n William A. Cohn...............................................................................47 Czech.Inventions n Sonia Kalausová...............................................................................52 S h o r t S t o r y 52 Rising.Waters n Alena Müllerová.....................................................................................56 Th e n & N o w The New Presence is the sister publication of the Democracy:.Binding.the.Nation.Together.–.A Přítomnost article from 1936........................58. Czech magazine Přítomnost. Both magazines are L e t t e r F r o m … published by Martin Jan Stránský, grandson of the original publisher of Přítomnost, which under Matthew.Clifton.describes.a.very.special.visit.to.Verona......................................................59 renowned editor Ferdinand Peroutka became inter-war Czechoslovakia´s most widely respected P a r t i n g Th o u g h t s periodical publication. Presidents.are.Important n Martin Jan Stránský.............................................................60 The New Presence is published on a quarterly basis. It features a mixture of original material and translated articles from our sister publication. Due to considerations of space and style, some articles may vary in style and/or length from the original. Cover by Johana Kratochvílová winter 2008 / THE NEW PRESENCE [ ] editor´s notes Dear readers, Welcome to the firstNew Presence of the New Year, and also my last as editor of this magazine. In this special issue, we take an in depth look behind the curtain at what went wrong with the transformation of the Czech Republic promised by the Velvet Revolution. Jan.Urban discusses his work investigating the so- called “Diag Human” affair which serves as a prime example of the corruption and mismanagement that characterised the early years of the post-communist era in the Czech Republic. In addition, Eric. Tabery takes a biting look at the excesses and faux pas of the current Czech political elite. Meanwhile, in separate pieces, Alexander.Loesch and Zdeněk.Suda, look to the Czech historical experience for some clues about today’s political malaise. Finally, in a spe- cial piece, Gia. Emilia. Castellano examines exactly what went wrong following the Velvet Revolution and asks why cynicism and apathy have again reared their ugly heads, even with regards to this seemingly joy- ous event. Further afield, Ivan. Krastev looks at the rise of populism in Eastern Europe, while Jaroslav. Šonka looks back at the fascinating story of the sinking of the German sailboat the Pamir in 1957. In a special section on pensions and pensioners, author Libuše. Bautzová examines the economic impact of an ageing popu- lace, while Fabiano. Golgo examines how different cultures approach old age. Meanwhile, regular contributor William.A.. Cohn, provides a fascinating and in-depth look at how govern- ment private contractors don’t always bring value for money or greater accountability. With scandals such as the Blackwater shooting of innocent civilians in Iraq, Cohn’s piece raises some very pertinent questions. We also have a short story from Alena. Műllerová, a look at Czech inventions from Sonia.Kalausová, the usual opinions, commentaries and much, much more. As always, I wish you an enjoyable read – and as I move on to new pastures, I wish you all the best in the future. Dominik Jůn “Tak dlouho se chodí se džbánem pro vodu, až se ucho utrhne.” “One walks so long with a jug looking for water, until one day the handle breaks off.” Old Czech Proverb [ ] THE NEW PRESENCE / winter 2008 opinions Democracy Plus? ost-communist countries are often thrust into than eight years. A third rule would bar any former long periods of turmoil, inefficiency and cor- prime minister from ever serving as the country’s Pruption following their releases from totali- president and vice-versa. A fourth rule would bar tarian rule. The result is that many first embark on any MP from serving as a cabinet member of more lawless and corrupt neo-liberal transformations of than two governments. Such ideas may sound dra- their economies. After this fails, they soon swing conian, but just how many impasses, crises, coun- back towards tighter more authoritarian rule. The ter-revolutions and returns to totality would such most dramatic example of this is found in Russia. rules have prevented if they had been in place? The The Yeltsin experiment did not work, so, says Putin, simple fact remains that most of the problems faced let’s be a safe, proud and strong dictatorship again. by post-communist democracies centre around im- Does the West carry any responsibility for this sta- movable cliques that form around centres of power, te of affairs? Could certain mechanisms have been with people simply refusing to move from their in place that would have prevented the initial free- self-ordained positions of importance. These rules for-all “painful transformations” that have followed would simply stir the soup far more often than is in most, if not all post-communist societies? Wes- necessitated in classical democratic countries. In tern thirst for “new markets” has certainly played the Czech Republic, such criteria would have pre- a role in convincing countries such as Russia (not vented Klaus from becoming president; they would to mention most of Latin America) that the West have prevented Kalousek and Čunek from pros- simply cannot be trusted. The end result is that in tituting themselves to any coalition that will have such tender, emerging countries, democracy is often them; they would have prevented “big men” such as misinterpreted as a frightening lurch into poverty, Klaus and Zeman or Topolanek and Paroubek from injustice and exploitation. Even “stable” democraci- turning political governance into an ego contest es such as the Czech Republic have witnessed this and they would assure that the “old faces” aren’t al- swing, albeit on a smaller scale than Russia. First lowed to hang on to power for too long. These rules corrupt and misguided neo-liberal economics, then would also mean that with each election, a new and protectionist neo-socialism, then back again, and fresh choice was offered and most importantly, they so the swing goes. All the while, the same immo- would necessitate that ordinary citizens could make vable faces vie for power. Today’s Topolanek gover- their way into the political system. In Russia, these nment may be useless, but what is the alternative? rules would have prevented the rise of the cult of Vote Paroubek, Rath and Bublan back into power? Putin; in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and every other And after they have failed, do Czech voters then post-communist country, they would have helped to bring back Topolanek’s men again, with Kalousek move democracy forward by leaps and
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