31 Parties of Republic of Kazakhstan in Political Spectrum
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IRSTI 11.15.51 M.E. Omarov Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan Parties of Republic of Kazakhstan in political spectrum Abstract. This article defines the main ideological positions of Kazakhstani political parties, expressed in the form of their display on the graphic political spectrum, developed by the psychologist Hans Eysenck. The concept of the political spectrum is given, the main types of political spectrum that exist and are used at present, as well as their authors, are determined. The necessity of using Eysenck’s graphic political spectrum as the most rational way of placing political ideologies in the form of geometric models is substantiated. The analysis of the program documents of the political parties of the Republic of Kazakhstan, because of which information was obtained about their ideological affiliation, for their further distribution on the spectrum. The parties are distributed along the political spectrum in accordance with their ideological guidelines, as indicated in the officially approved political programs. The distribution of parties was carried out using two dichotomies: left-wing – right-wing and authoritarian-democracy. Keywords: political parties, ideology, political spectrum, right-wing, left-wing, centrists, political program, Republic of Kazakhstan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32523/2616-6887/2021-134-1-31-42 Received:13.01.2021 / Approved: 22.01.2021 Introduction is the main indicator that distinguishes it from other political forces. The ideological direction of a particular The relevance of this study is due to political party is one of the most important the ideological blurring of Kazakhstan›s components of its activities. Ideology gives a political reality in the context of the upcoming clear understanding of what policy the party parliamentary elections in the Republic of intends to pursue if it comes to power. Ideology Kazakhstan in January 2021. Almost all political is, in fact, the foundation on which the party›s parties registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan programmatic goals are based. By the 21st do not openly declare their ideological century, the role of ideology in party building component. Among all political parties and party activity is gradually decreasing. registered in Kazakhstan, only 3 parties openly In modern democracies, political parties use declared their ideology: the Nationwide Social elements of different political ideologies in Democratic Party, the Communist People›s Party order to achieve the greatest possible popularity of Kazakhstan and the Ak Zhol Democratic Party among the population. In addition, often the of Kazakhstan. The policy documents of the rest ideology of a particular political party may not of political forces do not contain open mention of correspond to the declared political goals and any political ideology. In this regard, it is possible objectives. Nevertheless, in developed societies, to determine the ideological component of these it is necessary to take into account the ideological parties only through a qualitative analysis of component of a particular political force, since it their political programs, on the basis of which ВЕСТНИК Евразийского национального университета имени Л.Н. Гумилева. № 1(134)/20 21 31 Серия Политические науки. Регионоведение. Востоковедение. Тюркология. BULLETIN of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Political science. Regional studies. Oriental studies. Turkology Series M.E. Omarov one can draw a conclusion about their ideological to the problem of the political spectrum and affiliation. The position of political parties on the the ideological affiliation of political parties in political spectrum will allow, in turn, to clearly accordance with the political spectrum. demonstrate all the similarities and differences between these parties. Discussion The purpose of this study is to determine the ideological affiliation of the officially registered Currently, there are various approaches to political parties of the Republic of Kazakhstan defining the concept of the political spectrum. and their positions on the political spectrum. This Such scientists as D. Peter, A. Petrik, A. Heywood goal is achieved by performing the following and H. Eysenck [3] [4] [5] [6] studied the tasks: phenomenon of the political spectrum. 1) definition of the concept of the political According to D. Peter, the political spectrum spectrum; is used to classify political ideologies in relation 2) conducting a content analysis of political to each other in order to determine the main programs of parties registered in the Republic of similarities and differences between them. Peter Kazakhstan; divides ideologies into three large groups: the 3) determination of the ideological affiliation left, the centrists, and the right. He refers to the of a particular party; left as anarchism, socialism and social democracy, 4) the position of parties on the political to the right - conservatism and fascism, and to the spectrum. centrists - liberalism [3, p. 46]. The object of this research is the officially According to A. Petrik, the political spectrum registered political parties of the Republic of (in his work he calls it the «political compass») is a Kazakhstan. The subject of this study is the tool that can be used to determine the ideological ideological affiliation of these political parties. affiliation of political parties, movements, party programs and decisions [4]. Research methods A. Heywood describes the political spectrum as a system that allows to characterize and The methodology of this study is a classify various political ideologies in relation to constructivist approach focused on qualitative each other. These positions are presented in the data analysis. During this study, a qualitative form of one or more geometric axes that represent content analysis of the political programs of different ideological directions [5, p. 14]. registered parties was carried out, based on which Thus, the following definition of the concept the corresponding conclusions were formulated. of the political spectrum can be given: The scientific novelty of this article lies in The political spectrum is a way of displaying the fact that earlier in the Kazakh academic ideologies and political forces in relation to each community, close attention was not paid to the other, expressed in the form of one or more ideological affiliation of the political forces of graphic axes on which they are located. the Republic of Kazakhstan, especially about A. Heywood distinguishes 3 types of political their location on the political spectrum. Despite spectrum: the existing studies devoted to party issues in 1) a linear spectrum, presented in the form of the Republic of Kazakhstan, they focus mainly a horizontal line, on which ideologies are located on the formation of the party system of the according to the right / left dichotomy (see Fig. 1); Republic of Kazakhstan, party building, as well 2) a spectrum in the form of a horseshoe (see as the domination of political parties in public Fig. 2); life (for example, the works of Y. Buluktaev and 3) graphic spectrum, presented in the form of B. Abzalbekov) [1] [2]. Thus, this article is in fact vertical and horizontal lines, developed by Hans the first study, where the main attention is paid Eysenck (see Fig. 3) [5, pp. 14-16]. № 1(134)/20 21 Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық университетінің ХАБАРШЫСЫ. 32 Саяси ғылымдар. Аймақтану. Шығыстану. Түркітану сериясы ISSN: 2616-6887, eISSN:2617-605Х Parties of Republic of Kazakhstan in political spectrum Picture 1. Linear political spectrum Picture 2. Horseshoe-shaped political spectrum Picture 3. Graphic political spectrum For the first time, the division into right-wing supporters of revolutionary and egalitarian and left-wing in politics occurred after the Great movements [5, pp. 14-15]. French Revolution. Representatives of different However, with the development of political political currents sat in opposite parts of the philosophy and the emergence of new political French Assembly. Absolutists (that is, supporters trends, the opposition left-wing / right-wing can of the preservation of an absolute monarchy) no longer be viewed from the point of view of sat to the right of the king, while radicals and reactionary or revolutionary nature. There are republicans sat on the left. The term «right- many examples when a seemingly revolutionary wing» later became associated with reactionary ideology, which aimed at “returning to the past”, monarchists, while «left-wing» began to call was rather revolutionary (for example, Italian ВЕСТНИК Евразийского национального университета имени Л.Н. Гумилева. № 1(134)/20 21 33 Серия Политические науки. Регионоведение. Востоковедение. Тюркология. BULLETIN of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Political science. Regional studies. Oriental studies. Turkology Series M.E. Omarov fascism). At the same time, there are examples attitude of a particular ideology to the economy. when inherently left-wing socialists and The dichotomy of authoritarianism / democracy communists, on the contrary, obstructed reforms, is displayed on the vertical axis, with the help of trying to preserve the command-administrative which political ideologies are located depending economy [5, p. 15]. on their authoritarianism or democracy [6, p. In this regard, the use of a linear political 281]. spectrum, which classifies political ideologies From the point of view of attitudes towards exclusively according to the degree of the eco