Interdependencies between Political and Economic Power in Bulgaria (Conceptual References for Debate)

The article is based on a key paper pre­sented at the Student round table “What kinds of knowledge for politics do the students of economics from UNWE need?” (11/2014). The main aim is to provide students with conceptual references for a discussion on the issue of the intersection points and mutual interdependen­cies between political and economic power in contemporary Bulgaria. The paper is structured in three parts. The first explains basic notions: power, politics, capitalism, democracy (West­ern, liberal, representative democracy), political, economic and media power. The second part studies the interrelations between representa­tive democracy and market capitalism since the middle of XX century to nowadays – the be­ginning of the XXI century as theses relations pass through two phases – “politicization of the economy” and “economization of politics”. The third part is dedicated to the Bulgarian transition to liberal democracy and capitalist market econ­omy after 1989. Specific features of the Bulgar­ian capitalism and democracy are highlighted through the prism of such fundamental values such as freedom and equality. References for debate on actual issues from the political and social agenda in the country are offered, such as: the crisis of political party representative­ness, of democracy, defects of market economy functioning, symptoms of oligarchization of poli­tics, populism, etc