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THE DYNAMICS OF LOCAL-GLOBAL RELATIONS 411

time points in the Democracy and Local political people, criminals, and addicts. A high
Governance research program. rejection of those with AIDs and homosexuals
The Polish leaders stay with the global in both Poland and Russia dropped between
democratic orientations they had previously the time periods, as did the percentage for
embraced, despite turnovers of leaders, while Roma in Poland. (The percentages in Sweden
the Russian leaders responded to the initia- were negligible and the question about the
tives of President Putin to increase central Roma was not asked there.) This is one indi-
control with a reduction in their commitment cation of the ‘sticky’ but very basic nature of
to democratic values, even as their global the social rather than political values of
democratic values of tolerance of ‘marginal’ democracy. Indeed one of most dramatic
social groups increased. Both countries impacts visible in these data is the staying power
remained relatively open to foreign economic, of globalization’s impact on the acceptance of
media, and other influences, especially diversity among Russian local political leaders.
investments, although Poland was poised to
join the European Union in 2001 and Russia
was on the periphery of these European and Local autonomy, leader influence,
globalizing changes. and localism
Messages about the nature of democracy
from Brussels and Moscow are different. What was the impact of globalization on
Polish political leaders moved toward local autonomy? The general assumption is
becoming like the most democratic leaders in that local democracy requires substantial
Central Europe, while those of Russia appear local autonomy and even the autonomy to
to be drifting toward the value configurations expand local responsibilities. One of the gen-
characteristic of their past and their counter- eral hypotheses of the research was that a
parts in Central Asia. The data show some rapid diminution in national authority
European pull and a drift away of the periph- through democratization and opening up of
ery, in this case Russia. Swedish leaders countries through globalization would
stand firm. expand local autonomy, or at least the per-
A standard question widely used to indi- ceptions of autonomy by local political lead-
cate commitment to democracy is trust in the ers. Nothing like that happened. Indeed,
people. That question showed some sharp there is nearly no change. In fact, Sweden,
changes over the time period examined which is formally centralized, has local polit-
depending on relationships with the European ical leaders who believe that they have as
Union (trust in most of the people = 1). Trust much autonomy as any country (about the
dropped in all three countries, but substan- same as in the US in 1991). The local leaders
tially so in Russia where disagreements have in Russia saw no change during the first
probably not only become more intensive
among people but also acknowledging them
Table 27.3 Group not wanted as neighbors:
is more acceptable. 1
percentages
Local political leaders were asked what
1995 2001(03)
groups they would not want as neighbors.
Poland
Fourteen were listed, including right and left AIDS 44 21
Homosexuals 48 34
Roma 31 14
Table 27.2 Trust in people: percentage yes 1
Russia
1991 1995 1999 2001(03) AIDS 50 38
Poland 44 40 Homosexuals 57 29
Russia 30 23 Roma 21 25
Sweden 92 90 1 Each mention = 1.
1 yes most, of the people =1. Note: Sweden, less than 1% for AIDS and homosexuals.