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Bezirke on Scale: Regional and Local Actors in East German 'Democratic Centralism'
Bezirke on scale: regionale und lokale Akteure im ostdeutschen 'demokratischen Zentralismus'
[journal article]
Abstract The article examines the potential of the scale approach in the analysis of the former socialist dictatorships in Middle- and Middle-East-Europe based on the case of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Obviously, the communist claim to power always relied on highly centralised chains of command. N... view more
The article examines the potential of the scale approach in the analysis of the former socialist dictatorships in Middle- and Middle-East-Europe based on the case of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Obviously, the communist claim to power always relied on highly centralised chains of command. Nevertheless, regional state functionaries were occasionally able to realize their specific interests by scalar strategies like forming horizontal alliances or ‘jumping’ over the official channels through vertical personal networks. Focussing on processes with different patterns of top-down- and bottom-up-interactions, the scale approach reveals the fragile construction of the GDR’s ‘Democratic Centralism’: By taking responsibility for regional or local interests and trying to streamline them with central politics, state functionaries at the same time stabilized and undermined the political system. Despite gaining temporary leeway for acting in their own interests, regional and local authorities remained bound to the directives from the central leadership till the end of the GDR in 1989/90.... view less
Keywords
centralization; zoning; German Democratic Republic (GDR); democratic centralism; regional planning; socialism; spatial planning; municipal administration; housing construction
Classification
Political System, Constitution, Government
General History
Area Development Planning, Regional Research
Free Keywords
politics of scale; dynamics of administration
Document language
English
Publication Year
2017
Page/Pages
p. 243-266
Journal
Historical Social Research, 42 (2017) 2
Issue topic
Spatial Dimensions of Governance in 20th Century Political Struggles
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.42.2017.2.243-266
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed