The concept of a corporation in political science differs from the meaning that is put into this word in economics. A corporation is a group of individuals united on a professional basis, and not one of the forms of financial and economic activity. Accordingly, corporatism, or corporatism, is the organization of social life, in which interaction is formed between the state and various functional groups of people. Over the course of several eras, corporatist ideas have undergone several metamorphoses.
General concept
In modern science, corporatism is a system of representation based on corporate principles, such as the monopolization of the representation of collective interests in certain areas of life, the concentration of real power in a small group (corporation), strict hierarchical subordination between its members.
An example is an organization that represents the interests of farmers - the National Farmers' Union in the UK. It includes up to 68% of citizens involved in the relevantactivities - the cultivation of agricultural products. The main goal of this union, as well as corporatism in general, is to protect the interests of the professional community before the state.
Features
Corporatism has the following specific features:
- It is not individuals who take part in politics, but organizations.
- There is an increase in the influence of professional interests (their monopolization), while the rights of other citizens may be infringed.
- Some associations are in a more privileged position, and therefore have a greater influence on political decision-making.
History of occurrence
France is considered the birthplace of the corporatist ideology. The successful development of corporatism in a particular country is primarily due to historically established traditions and forms of social life. In the Middle Ages, a corporation was understood as class and professional associations (workshops, guilds of peasants, merchants, artisans) that defended the interests of members of their group. There was also a shop hierarchy - masters, apprentices, other workers. Activities outside the corporation were impossible. The emergence of workshops was a vital necessity and was a transitional stage from a communal way of life to a civil society.
In the early 19th century, corporatism took on a different form. In connection with the advent of the era of industrialization, active education begantrade unions. During the First World War and after it, other views on corporatism arose. It was seen as guild socialism, in which the state plays a secondary role. Social corporatism was to become the basis of a new type of value unity of society.
The presence of acute social confrontation in the 20-30s. 20th century used by the Nazis. In their ideology, corporatism is intended not to split society into classes, as was the case with the communists, or into parties, as in liberal democracy, but to unite according to the labor principle. However, after seizing power, the leaders of fascism turned this process in the other direction - towards the subordination of corporations to the state.
After the Second World War, a natural rejection of corporatism began. A new kind of social organization is being formed, where workers' parties participate in the management of a mixed economy organized according to the Keynesian model.
Neocorporatism
According to many political scientists, at the end of the XX century. corporatism experienced another decline. The efficiency and usefulness of corporations has declined significantly, and the system itself has been transformed from social to liberal.
Neo-corporatism in modern political science is understood as an institution of democracy, which serves to coordinate the interests of the state, businessmen and individuals hired to perform work. In this system, the state regulates the conditions of the negotiation process and the main priorities, based on nationalinterests. All three components of corporatism fulfill mutual obligations and agreements.
Classical corporatism and neo-corporatism have big differences. The latter is not a social Catholic phenomenon, as it was in the Middle Ages, and has nothing to do with any ideology. It can also exist in those countries where there is no democratic structure and historical traditions of the guild society.
Neocorporatist schools
There are 3 main schools of neocorporatism, united by a commonality of ideas among their representatives:
- English school. Corporativism is a system of economics that is opposed to market self-government (liberalism). The main concept is state regulation of the economy and planning. The relationship between the state and functional associations in this case is only one of the components of this system.
- Scandinavian school. In contrast to the English school, the key point is the representation of the interests of different groups of society for decision-making in government. Scandinavian researchers have developed several forms of organizational participation in management. Corporatism is a measure of the degree of development of both individual spheres of life and entire states.
- American school, headed by political scientist F. Schmitter. His theory contrasts corporatism and pluralism. He proposed his interpretation of neocorporatism in 1974. This is a system of representing the interests of several groups,authorized or created by the state in exchange for control over the appointment of their leaders.
The general direction of the evolution of corporatism in the XX century. there was a shift from abstract political theory, the main provision of which was a general social reorganization, to neutral values and practical application in the socio-political interaction of institutions.
Views
In Russian and foreign literature, the following types of corporatism are distinguished:
- Depending on the political regime - social (in liberal systems of government) and state, gravitating towards totalitarianism.
- In terms of the form of interaction between institutions - democratic corporatism (tripartism) and bureaucratic (the predominance of corrupt organizations).
- By level - macro-, meso- and micro-corporatism (nationwide, sectoral and within an individual enterprise, respectively).
- By the criterion of productivity: negative (forced formation of groups and unilateral imposition of their interests) - totalitarian, oligarchic and bureaucratic corporatism; positive (voluntary formation of corporations, mutually beneficial interaction) - social, democratic, administrative corporatism.
Pluralistic approach
Pluralism and corporatism differ in the following features:
- representation of interests is carried out by groups that are formed voluntarily, but not hierarchical, do not have any licenses to exerciseactions, and therefore are not controlled by the state in terms of determining leaders;
- interested entities make demands on the government, which distributes valuable resources under their pressure;
- The state plays a passive role in the activities of corporations.
Pluralism focuses on the government and does not allow considering the political process as an interaction between the state and society, since it is not an active participant in this system.
Lobbying activity
There are two extreme forms of the representation system - lobbyism and corporatism. Lobbying is understood as the influence of groups representing certain interests on the authorities. There are a variety of ways to influence this:
- speaking at meetings of parliament or other public authorities;
- involvement of experts in the development of regulatory documents;
- use of "personal" contacts in government;
- application of public relations technologies;
- sending collective appeals to deputies and government officials;
- raising funds for a political election campaign fund (fundraising);
- bribery.
According to American political scientists, the stronger the power of parties in the political arena, the less opportunities there are for lobbying groups, and vice versa. In many countries, lobbying is identified only with illegal activities and is prohibited.
Statecorporatism
Under the state corporatism understand the regulation of the activities of public or private associations by the state, one of the functions of which is to approve the legality of such organizations. In some countries, this term has a different meaning, consonant with corporocracy.
In the context of an authoritarian system of governance, corporatism serves to limit public participation in the political system. The state strictly regulates the issuance of license documents to business unions, human rights organizations and other institutions to reduce their number and control their activities.
