Introduction: A Theoretical Backdrop

Abstract

The accession of 10 new countries to the European Union (EU) on May 1,2004 marks the beginning of a new era for Europe. For the eight new members from postcommunist states, accession is the culmination of a monumental transformation barely 15 years after they began to institutionalize market-based democracies in their nations after the demise of socialist regimes. In contrast with the euphoria of 1989, however, the moment of accession itself in Eastern Europe was characterized by widespread uncertainty, lack of enthusiasm, and growing public and elite skepticism about the consequences of EU membership. A central concern of this book is to investigate why this change of mood has occurred.