Corporatism as a post-communist phoenix? Ukraine in comparative perspective.

Abstract

Civil society has been one of the main leitmotifs used to describe and explain post-communist transitions. Not all post-communist states, however, have witnessed the victory of civil society over elements of the old order. This study examines one of these states, Ukraine, and the applicability of an alternative notion, state corporatism. The foci of this study are key economic interest groups in Ukraine--trade unions, nascent business confederations, and agricultural associations. The guiding questions are how interest intermediation is organized and what effect these groups have on vital questions of economic and political reform. Data are gathered through elite interviews, organizational documents, legal statues, and press reports. In addition, public opinion surveys are analyzed to find evidence of a "corporatist political culture.". This study finds strong evidence for "residual corporatism," meaning that corporatist features of the Soviet period have not vanished. This is particularly marked among trade unions, which have yet to break free of the state and enterprise administration. All groups, however, have extensive ties to the state apparat. Autonomous groups--the hallmark of a pluralist, civil society-- face substantial obstacles. This system guards against the rise of excessive pressure from below and contributes to the lack of reform in Ukraine. Moreover, the severe socio-economic crisis helps boost prospects for future corporatist development, since pluralist competition among groups is deemed too disruptive and unnecessary. This study assesses the prospects for state corporatism in Ukraine, and concludes that much still hinges on the outcome of privatization, which has yet to be embraced fully. This study concludes by examining briefly corporatist features in other post-communist states and the problems of reconciling labor to programs for economic reform.