Filling the gap? Korporatismus und neue Akteure in der Politikgestaltung

'In diesem Beitrag geht es darum zu prüfen, inwieweit sich mit der aus dem (Teil-)Rückzug der korporatistischen Akteure vom Politikgestaltungsprozess entstehenden Lücke Möglichkeiten der Einflussnahme für andere Akteure (Think Tanks, Politikberater, Lobbyisten) ergeben. Grundüberlegung ist, dass die für Österreich lange Zeit prägende Rolle der Sozialpartnerschaft empirisch nachvollziehbar an Boden verloren hat, was aber nicht selbstverständlich zugunsten alternativer Gestaltungsmuster geschieht, zumal die 'neuen' Anbieter oft einer Nachfrage entsprechen, die - Stichwort Europäisierung - erst in jüngerer Zeit stark zugenommen hat. In ihren 'natürlichen' Kernbereichen Wirtschaftspolitik und Sozialpolitik, so die These, sind die korporatistischen Akteure als Agenda-Setter und Politikberater nach wie vor dominant vertreten.' (Autorenreferat)'For some time past, the role of social partnership as a player in policy making has significantly declined. It would be false, however, to conclude from the gradual loss in importance of a general demise of Austria's version of corporatism. The (partial) retreat of social partnership from several policy fields does not necessarily take place at the benefit of alternative providers, such as think tanks, policy advisors, and lobbyists. It is argued that, with the background of Europeanisation, the 'new' actors supply the growing demand of expertise and advice in various fields, frequently complementing established players rather than replacing them. The 'old', corporatist actors are now as before undisputed advisors in their genuine core businesses economic and social policy.' (author's abstract)

The Rise and Decline and Rise of Austria’s Radical Right

Introduction Up to some ten years ago, with good reason the Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs – FPÖ) was considered a special case in Europe’s landscape of political parties. In fact, the pace with which Jörg Haider immediately after having unseated his predecessor in 1986 turned the party which had hitherto strived for a liberal profile into a populist one was astounding. Under his leadership the former five-percent party soon achieved double-digit results in national ..

The Politics of Asymmetry: (Non) Corporatist Policy Making, 2000-2006

Introduction From its establishment in the late 1940s through the turn of the twenty-first century, Sozialpartnerschaft enjoyed a high reputation in Austria’s political system. This was clearly the case until the 1980s and even, albeit with certain qualifications, in the 1990s, when the chamber system—traditionally the main pillar of social partnership—faced a severe crisis. Social partnership owed its prestige in the public to its role as a reliable and calculable mechanism for interest inte..

Sub-national Constitutionalism in Austria: a Historical Institutionalist Perspective

Austria’s federal system is determined by an apparent contrast between formal and real constitution having its roots in foundational defects shaping the system to the present day. As for the formal dimension, Austria has a rather uneven balance with regard to powersharing. No wonder that, given the structural bias between central state and substates, informal forces are at work in order to make up for the shortcomings of the federal architecture. In this context, sub-national constitutionalism at first sight appears to be marginal. Astoundingly, though, in recent time a lot of constitutional changes and amendments, quite possibly paving the way for a sustainable redesign of the federation as a whole have taken place

Austria's International Position after the End of the Cold War

"In the past quarter century we have moved from the Cold War to the Post-Cold War era in Austria, Europe and the world at large. Yet relatively little assessment is available what the change from the Cold War to the Post-Cold War era signaled for Austria’s position in the world. Austrian foreign policy went through sea changes. The country lost its exposed Cold War geopolitical location on the margins of Western Europe along the iron curtain. With the removal of the iron curtain Austria moved back into its central location in Europe and rebuilt her long-standing traditional relations with neighbors to the East and South. Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and thus further “Westernized.” Its policy of neutrality—so central to its foreign policy during the Cold War—largely eroded during the past quarter century, even though pro forma and for reasons of identity, the country holds on to its neutral position. Austrian failed to join NATO and gained the reputation of a “security free rider.”

Austria's International Position after the End of the Cold War

In the past quarter century we have moved from the Cold War to the Post-Cold War era in Austria, Europe and the world at large. Yet relatively little assessment is available what the change from the Cold War to the Post-Cold War era signaled for Austria's position in the world. Austrian foreign policy went through sea changes. The country lost its exposed Cold War geopolitical location on the margins of Western Europe along the iron curtain. With the removal of the iron curtain Austria moved back into its central location in Europe and rebuilt her long-standing traditional relations with neighbors to the East and South. Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and thus further “Westernized.” Its policy of neutrality - so central to its foreign policy during the Cold War - largely eroded during the past quarter century, even though pro forma and for reasons of identity, the country holds on to its neutral position. Austrian failed to join NATO and gained the reputation of a “security free rider.