SOCIAL CONTRACT: CIVIL SERVANTS
2. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
2.2. Models of the interaction between the state (authorities) and specific social groups
In the framework of the social contract, theoretically both the state and a social group may initiate interaction. The results of the content analysis show that in most of the cases described in SB – Belarus Today, interaction was initiated by the state (or its representatives), that is, the social contract is built from above and is therefore asymmetric. Specifically, in SB – Belarus Today messages, 87.2% of all instances of interaction are initiated by the state (authorities). It is the state that plays the role of the active counterparty that proposes its conditions. Social groups are mostly presented as the reacting party: only 12.8% of all messages are initiated by representatives of social groups; as a rule, they are generated in response to the proposals and actions of the state (authorities).
Business
The model of interaction between the state (authorities) and business is clearly ambivalent. The newspaper presents two different types of business: «bad» business and «good» business, and the state has different strategies for each. The inconsistent, non%uniform approach to business and the existing communication strategy are evident (Table 1) in :
• specific topics, in which the newspaper describes the interaction between the state and business;
• the objectives declared by the state in its policies on business;
• the described instruments to achieve the objectives.
In terms of the social contract, the data presented in Table 1 may be interpreted as follows: entrepreneurs interact with representatives of the authorities not only on «entrepreneurship in various areas», but also on
«corruption, financial and other violations and crimes». Small town development is another area where entrepreneurs draw attention to themselves. On the whole, judging by the range of topics shared for the business, entrepreneurs are perceived both as a positive force, on which certain hopes are pinned, and the social group that does not enjoy trust of the authorities, the group that comprises real and potential criminals.
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Table 1 Interaction between the state and business: topics, objectives
and instruments in media messages, %
Source: author’s own calculations.
State goals towards business are also ambivalent: on one hand, state argues for
«promotion of development» and «facilitation», on the other, it wants
«punishment». The list of methods to achieve objectives comprises both «tax cuts»,
«privileges» and «lawsuits», «inspections and control».
The old contract with business is being rejected as outdated and inconsistent with the present%day situation. That contract is qualified as inefficient – both in terms of production and social relations (for instance, in world practice, large producers place orders with small businesses, but in Belarus they cannot be included in such labor division mechanisms, because they are not focused on production;
business organizations fail to ensure proper social security schemes for its personnel), and are unfair compared to all other social groups (that is, offering preferences to small business in the prejudice of the domestic light industry).
A new framework of the social contract is offered to replace the existing one and to counterbalance the status quo. The instruments and projects advertised in SB – Belarus Today seem to be too narrow to cover all the provisions of the new contract, but SB – Belarus Today messages make it clear that state offerings to the business community come down to a single option: the authorities suggest business should go to villages, small towns, get involved in the state program to recover small towns («small towns» is a dominating topic in business descriptions). It is this sort of business that is presented as positive and socially desirable. Such business must deal with:
• rehabilitation of insolvent enterprises in small towns;
Main topics that SB – Belarus Today uses to describe the engagement between the state and business
− Entrepreneurship in various areas 42.3
− Corruption, financial and other crimes 24.9
− Recovery of small towns 10.3
− Other 22.5
Objectives regarding business
− Punish, ban, detect violations 28.2
− Offer possibilities 20.5
− Increase efficiency 7.7
− Encourage development 7.7
− Make controllable 6.4
− Other 29.5
Instruments to achieve objectives
− Lawsuit 19.3
− Change in status, reorganization 17.9
− Inspection, control 14.1
− Law, ordinance 11.5
− Privileges, preferential auctions 10.3
− Tax cuts 10.3
− Reduced, lax control 6.4
− Combat against bureaucracy 5.1
− Other 5.1
Models of engagement between the state and social groups in media messages ...
• creation of new products;
• job creation, combating unemployment, cessation of labor migration to Russia and other regions;
• infrastructure development, housing construction and redevelopment of settlements, etc.
The business that will come to small settlements will be offered complete support of the state as a whole and particular officials: SB – Belarus Today has a column «Entrepreneurs and Officials Work for a Common Cause»
(November 30, 2007). «Good» business is offered a broad range of preferences and privileges:
• lax state control;
• simplified bureaucratic procedures, connected with business registration;
• significant tax reductions;
• auctions and property sale on easy terms, etc.
The taxes that businesses pay locally remain in local budgets, facilitating a
«bond» between entrepreneurs and officials (or «solder joint» if we use the language of the first Soviet five%year plans), which is positioned as a powerful success factor.
Two quotations from SB – Belarus Today materials would be in place.
Interview with Gomel Region Executive Committee Chair (January 15, 2008):
«The executive committee organizes businesstours to the countryside for entrepreneurs – our potential investors. We must interest entrepreneurs in business development, especially in smaller localities. Even if two or three projects are initiated during such a business trip, in which dozens of businesses take part, it is worth it».
Deputy chair of the Chavusy District Executive Committee (November 30, 2007): «We, officials, give businesses nothing but support. We often draw up all documents for them. We understand that should an investor come across a tiniest piece of red tape, it will go elsewhere to find partners that are more convenient. To efficiently tackle the problems of business, our staff often work during their free time. But look at the town – it has changed for the better – mostly because of the taxes paid by business people».
«Bad» and «good» businesses are contrasted and juxtaposed to show how things should be done and what is unacceptable. Below is an SB – Belarus Today text reflecting the ambivalent model of the interaction between the state and business:
«Activists [those taking part in rallies of businessmen. – N. Ye.] believe the state used the «stick» to turn them into unitary enterprises. But they say nothing about the «carrot», especially presidential Decree № 8, adopted the other day. It does simplify registration procedures. To «enlarge» and change the market niche will be possible without lengthy bureaucratic procedures. The new «carrot» shows where to channel the initiative. The Decree signed into effect yesterday offers excellent preferences to anyone who starts a business in the countryside. Instead of the routine
«buy%and%sell» business, entrepreneurs may take up lucrative productions»
(V. Volyanyuk, SB – Belarus Today, December 21, 2007).
Entrepreneurs are much more likely to opt for «exit» and «voice» than the other social groups described below. Of all the analyzed texts on entrepreneurs:
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• 34.1% demonstrate the tolerance of entrepreneurs for state proposals (not exactly a very high percentage, given the propaganda orientation of the newspaper);
• 25.6% – exit;
• 6.4% – voice;
• remaining 34% deal the reaction of entrepreneurs is not identified, that is, there is no indication of any response at all.
Few caveats apply to the exit strategy. In the «social contract» theory, «exit» is perceived as a search for and use of some positive alternative: if you are dissatisfied with the business environment, you may get another job or find any acceptable niche.
The newspaper offers no «exit» in the sense of having a positive alterative. It shows
«exit» as law evasion, failure to comply with or disregard for an ordinance, instruction, concealment of incomes and tax evasion, denial of guilt, arbitrary actions (for example, they close down stalls) or nonfulfillment of requests. «Exit» is depicted not as a positive alternative, but as a «negative withdrawal», or tacit protest. The possibilities of positive exit are not described whatsoever, and the government’s proposals to business are shown in the SB – Belarus Today model as having no alternative.
«Voice» is an open articulated protest. It is expressed in letters addressed to the media, including letters signed by a group, open letters published on websites, and strikes of entrepreneurs. Here is a letter to the newspaper (its website) signed by an entrepreneur (in response to the government’s campaign for «business privileges», real bargain of acquiring loss%making enterprises in villages and revitalizing them using investments and expert management) (February 2, 2008):
«There are no advantages in investing in villages, helping bankrupt producers stay afloat. You won’t recover them, but cut your profit. You had better raise taxes if you believe businesses are too well off in cities».
Officials
As in the case with entrepreneurs, the pattern of the government’s interaction with civil servants is also ambivalent. The media, being the mouthpiece of the authorities, both «punish» officials and «expand» their powers, give them additional benefits (taxes stay in local budgets in smaller towns), describe them as responsible and sagacious project «implementers» (free economic zones). However, in the social group of officials there is not enough balance between the «positive» and «negative»
treatments. In SB – Belarus Today, «negative» features prevail (in terms of the social contract, the focus in the agreement with this social group is placed on sanctions) (Table 2).
Officials (SB – Belarus Today mostly writes about officials of the region level and lower) are presented as the «executive device» of the regime that are responsible for the implementation of its projects and decisions, and at the same time as a
«scapegoat», someone to take the blame for all failures. For instance, the discontent of the population with the abolition of privileges and the confusion with targeted privileges that followed are interpreted as a result of sluggishness of officials, poor awareness campaigns, etc.
Models of engagement between the state and social groups in media messages ...
Table 2 Interaction between the state and officials:
topics, objectives and instruments in media reports, %
Source: author’s own calculations.
The fact that scalding criticism is as a rule aimed against local officials may be interpreted as an instrument to protect the supreme authorities (sort of
«delegation of liability and guilt»). It is quite possible that the public role of the one «liable», «guilty», «accused» is an essential part of the social contract between the state and civil servants. In opposition to this, media tend to note a growing trend toward expansion of officials’ powers and their freedom in managing finance.
Below is the breakdown of officials’ response to such signals and messages:
• loyalty – 45.8%, of them 25% – explicit, declared loyalty;
• exit – 29.2%;
• indefinable – 25%.
Youth
Interaction between the state (the authorities) and the youngstewrs was for the most part in the framework of such issues as «science, high technologies» – 32.1%, «education» – 21.4%, «employment» – 14.3%, «agriculture» – 10.7%, and
«social sector» – 7.1%. These are the key «fields of action», permeated by the cross%
cutting issue of employment, for youth, as seen by the state%run newspaper. The objectives declared by the state include involvement of young personnel in the
Main topics that SB – Belarus Today uses to describe the engagement between the state and officials
− Law, legislation 7.5
− Powers, responsibility of local authorities 7.5
− State leadership, managerial activities 17.5
− Corruption 12.5
− Illegal seizure of land 32.5
− Recovery of small towns 12.5
− Free economic zones 5.0
− Other 5.0
Declared objectives regarding officials
− Punish, eradicate negative elements (for instance, abuse, corruption, red tape, illegal allocation of reserved land for construction, customs violations, etc.)
42.5
− Expand powers 17.5
− Encourage work 15.0
− Protect 7.5
− Increase efficiency 5.0
− Other 12.5
Instruments to achieve objectives regarding officials
− Ordinance, instruction 15.0
− Lawsuit 12.5
− Ban, sanction 10.0
− Inspection, control 22.5
− Administrative measures (lay off) 5.0
− Introduction of market mechanisms 7.5
− Expansion of authorities 10.0
− Other 17.5
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national economy, including for the development and creation of new industries and enterprises (Table 3).
Table 3 Interaction between the state and youth:
topics, objectives and instruments in media reports, %
Source: author’s own calculations.
Unlike the social contracts with business and officials described above, the contract with the youngsters shifts the focus from the stick to carrots – only 5.3%
of SB – Belarus Today materials are about penalties. The newspaper only mentions sanctions against the graduates that failed to take on the assigned jobs.
On the other hand, there is a lot about «the carrot». Young people are lured into large%scale attractive integrated projects (academic competitions, talent shows, special study grants, etc.). For instance, the creation of the Belarusian Silicon Valley (High Technologies Park) is positioned as a project for youth that offers unprecedented opportunities for selfactualization, career advancement and high salaries. Many projects offer young specialists employment and good career prospects; these opportunities are often connected with the recovery of villages and small towns.
Of many projects described in SB8Belarus Today (and clearly being high%risk ventures) there was one material on 10 graduates of the agrarian academy that were sent to villages to lead farms. They were provided homes, service cars, high positions and salaries, and their only task was to «take roots» and secure «high performance indicators». None of the volunteers managed to stay for more than 12 months, but it does not mean the authorities will not be generating new exciting ideas.
Main topics that SB – Belarus Today uses to describe the engagement between the state and youth
− Education 21.4
− High technologies 32.1
− Employment 14.3
− Agriculture 10.7
− Social sector 7.1
− Other 14.4
Declared objectives regarding youth
− Keep personnel 25.0
− Provide opportunities 17.9
− Offer material support 10.7
− Promote innovation 10.7
− Ensure comfortable living standards 7.1
− Punish 7.1
− Other 10.8
Instruments to achieve objectives regarding youth
− Laws, ordinances, directives 7.1
− Wages, education allowances, grants, etc., financing 10.7
− Projects (state projects) 17.9
− Career advancement 17.9
− Education, talent contests 14.3
− Organizational adjustments 10.7
− Sanctions 5.3
− Housing provision 7.1
− Other 9.0
Models of engagement between the state and social groups in media messages ...
The response of this social group to the proposals of the authorities may be as follows:
• loyalty, including explicit, declared by the individual – 47.4%;
• loyalty that is not explicit, but assumed by the media – 10.5%;
• exit – 21.1%;
• not definable – 21.1%.
As far as young people are concerned, «exit» and «withdrawal» as a rule take the form of refusals to accept the assigned job upon graduation, as well as refusals to accept other proposals from the state (the winner of the physics contest will not stay in the lyceum, because his parents, who live in a village, cannot pay for his stay in the city; a young family turns down the «demographic proposal» of the president, because of doubts that they will help their children get off to a good start).
Wage workers and «locale»
Two more groups that happened to be in the focus of attention of SB – Belarus Today in the period under review (July 2007 – July 2008) were «wage workers» and small town and village dwellers (dubbed «locale»). In specific publications of Sovetskaya Belorussia, wage workers – teachers, doctors, workers, engineers – represent 90% of the «locale». This prompted comparison of the «offers» made by the state in various circumstances to this de%facto single social group. The «difference of circumstances» was determined not only by the place of residence (in some cases localities may be different, they are not always specified, as they are not relevant for the development of the social contract; sometimes the place of residence – a small town – is essential, and it is the type of settlement that determines the nature of state proposals), but also the political significance of the social group: the period under analysis was marked by the campaign to restore small towns.
The interaction between the state and the social group of wage workers, both in small towns and other settlements, is presented mostly from the perspective of the production sphere: manufacturing, agribusiness, construction – and much less in science, education, healthcare and culture. However, the objectives declared by the initiator of the engagement (as a rule, it is the state), are different. The objectives regarding «wage workers» mostly pertain to labor relations, and production industry:
• labor efficiency upgrade – 27.5%;
• acceleration of development, higher competitive power – 17.6%;
• creation of new productions, industries – 9.8%.
The objectives declared concerning smaller towns and villages («locale») are these:
• to increase living standards in general – 23.1%;
• to ensure comfortable living conditions, provide housing – 19.2;
• to create jobs, keep personnel – 17.2%.
The chief instruments to achieve the goals are to raise wages, provide housing and improve social conditions at the enterprise (for the former) and intensified production, boost in entrepreneurship and state programs (for the latter).
The pattern of the interaction between the state and wage workers makes use of various social measures (wage push, housing) as instruments to achieve the goals
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in the realm of social production. In the «state%locale» pattern, social measures (higher living standards, comfort and decent wages) are declared not as instruments, but as the goal in itself.
As we see, the state varies the goals and instruments when making proposals to social groups depending on the continuing relevance of the group and the contract with that group. If the state prioritizes the group and the contract, social measures are declared to be the ultimate goal; otherwise, they act as instruments to reach some objective in some other area (for instance, in production).
3. IN LIEU OF CONCLUSION: COMMONALITIES OF THE STATE