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Political Science and the Crisis of Authoritarianism

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  • Pye, Lucian W.

Abstract

Political science is a discipline in constant danger of fragmentation because of the centrifugal pulls of our subfields and the contradictions in our scientific and humanistic traditions. We are, however, periodically brought together by the need to respond to major developments that are reshaping the political universe. We are today confronted with a unifying challenge in the crisis of authoritarianism that is undermining the legitimacy of all types of authoritarian systems throughout the world, including the Marxist-Leninist regimes. The crisis will not necessarily produce democracies, but rather a variety of part-free, part-authoritarian systems which do not conform to our classical typologies. Although the crisis of authoritarianism stems from profound social, economic, and cultural trends, the outcome in each case will be decided by political responses. Political science, therefore, has the responsibility to lead intellectually other social sciences in analyzing the fundamental change in political life that involves the clash between individual political cultures and the world culture of modernization.

Suggested Citation

  • Pye, Lucian W., 1990. "Political Science and the Crisis of Authoritarianism," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(1), pages 3-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:84:y:1990:i:01:p:3-19_19
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeremiah O. Arowosegbe, 2020. "Academics and Election Administration in Nigeria," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(7), pages 1009-1032, October.
    2. Merkel, Wolfgang, 1991. "Warum brach das SED-Regime zusammen?: Der "Fall" (der) DDR im Lichte der Demokratisierungstheorien," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 19-49.
    3. Ruth Lane, 1996. "Positivism, Scientific Realism and Political Science," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 8(3), pages 361-382, July.
    4. Akturk, Sener, 2008. "15 Years after the “Collapse” of Soviet Socialism: The Role of Elite Choices, Class Conflict, and a Critique of Modernization Theory," Program in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies, Working Paper Series qt03q8t431, Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, UC Berkeley.
    5. Merkel, Wolfgang, 1994. "Struktur oder Akteur, System oder Handlung: gibt es einen Königsweg in der sozialwissenschaftlichen Transformationsforschung?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 303-331.

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