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Reading Quiz 6_Babucarr

Reading Quiz 6_Babucarr

Q Pridham (2006) refers to the “push-pull nature” of the relationship between the promise of EU membership and democratization in Eastern Europe. What is the “push” and what is the “pull?”

Q What specific international factors do Skrede Gleditsch and Ward (2006) identify as having an impact on the likelihood that an authoritarian regime will democratize?How, according to Skrede Gleditsch and Ward (2006), do democratic transitions in neighboring states reduce autocratic rulers’ fears of democratization?

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The idea of EU membership happens to be an objective for many of the post-communist countries. However, this EU accession is not without conditions and it involves a holistic recognition and appraisal of the systemic performance of these countries in terms of evolving as functioning market economies as well as ones which have achieved the “stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy”. This EU accession cum democratic conditionality can be better understood against the backdrop of the push/pull dynamics. Pridham would argue that it is the push over conditionality (these countries are pushed towards the requirement of establishing democracy) and pull of eventual membership (EU accession), which determines this dynamic state of affairs.