Authoritarianism as a “Wicked Problem” in Contemporary International Relations

• Authors: Ryszard Ficek

Abstracts

PL

Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu zaprezentowanie koncepcji autorytaryzmu, który – przedstawiony w kategoriach „niegodziwego problemu” współczesnego świata – wydaje się być poważnym wyzwaniem dla współczesnych stosunków międzynarodowych, zarówno w wymiarze teoretycznym, jak i praktycznym. Autor artykułu definiuje pojęcie autorytaryzmu jako formę ustroju politycznego, w którym władza i zasoby materiałowo-ludzkie państwa zostały scentralizowane, zawłaszczone i oddane do dyspozycji jednostki bądź elitarnej grupy „trzymającej władzę”. W ten sposób zostały ograniczone na płaszczyźnie politycznej i gospodarczej możliwości integracyjne państwa autorytarnego z globalnym systemem stosunków międzynarodowych, a istotne instytucje administracyjne państwa zostały zmanipulowane, zafałszowane i zawłaszczone. Zastosowana metoda badawcza pozwala na reinterpretację omawianych zagadnień w złożonej – choć specyficznej – formie systemowej, charakterystycznej nie tylko dla krajów i regionów niestabilnych czy politycznie upadłych, ale także państw politycznie stabilnych i gospodarczo rozwiniętych. Przeprowadzana analiza pozwala ponadto na przedstawienie i reinterpretację problemu współczesnych reżimów autorytarnych w kategoriach, które nie tylko definiują, ale często legitymizują jedne z najbardziej despotycznych, autokratycznych i hegemonistycznych systemów politycznych czasów współczesnych.

EN

This study aims to explore the concept of authoritarianism, which – presented in terms of the “wicked problem” of the contemporary world – seems to be a severe challenge to present-day International Relations (IR), both theoretically and practically. The author of the article defines the concept of authoritarianism as a form of the political system in which the power and material resources of the state have been centralised, appropriated, and put at the disposal of either an individual or an elitist group “in power.” In this way, the possibilities of integrating the authoritarian state – both politically and economically – with the global system of international relations are limited, and the vital administrative institutions of the state have been manipulated and appropriated. The applied research method allows for interpreting the discussed issues in a complex – albeit specific – systemic form, characteristic not only for politically fragile or declining countries and regions but also for politically stable and economically developed ones. The author’s analysis allows for the presentation and reinterpretation of the issue of contemporary authoritarian regimes concerning international relations in terms that not only define but often legitimise some of the most despotic, autocratic, and hegemonistic forms of the political systems in modern times.

Keywords

EN

authoritarianism; democracy; dictatorship; political regime; the rule of law; “wicked problem”

PL

autorytaryzm; demokracja; dyktatura; reżim polityczny; rządy prawa; „niegodziwy problem”

• Publisher: Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
• Journal: Zeszyty Naukowe KUL
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 65
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 97-118

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Ryszard Ficek

• Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski

• https://orcid.org/0000000152386767

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Identifiers

DOI

10.31743/znkul.13867

Biblioteka Nauki

2150986