Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has illustrated the central role of the state as embodied by the government in orchestrating societal responses to natural disasters. The Covid-19 pandemic is that; a natural disaster, just as climate change is producing increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters. Literature on corporatism that emerged in the 1970s initially made a distinction between malign corporatism of fascism in the first half of the twentieth century. It was distinct from non-coercive, benign postwar corporatism manifested in the industrialized democracies in continental Europe and Asia. Other analyses highlighted the First World War mobilization of national resources as well as the interwar efforts to mobilize societal resources to address the national crises. This mobilization happened under wartime circumstances which may have been nominally democracies or under authoritarian regimes preparing for war. The corporatist organization of societal resources, including the application of coercion and other control mechanisms to control human resources, was distinct from Bolshevism/Communism. Malign corporatism relied on coercion and fear to control a large section of society that rejected granting legitimacy to the authorities. One feature of these regimes was that appeals to nationalist sentiment among supporters was also a significant source of control. Authorities that rely upon militant nationalist appeals as part of control regime are also more prone to portray an external political environment characterized by threats and opportunities. These perceived threats and opportunities are more likely to be perceived in stereotypical terms. These regimes are also more likely to overestimate their relative power capabilities.
Presenters
Benedict Edward DeDominicisProfessor of Political Science, School of International Studies, Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggido [Kyonggi-do], South Korea
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Technical, Political, and Social Responses
KEYWORDS
Corporatism Covid-19 Nationalism Natural disaster Political regime
