Abstract
The collapse of the communist system in East-Central Europe (ECE) in 1989 and the Soviet Union two years later was an epoch-making event. A profound change has occurred, something to be mentioned in history textbooks as one of the major watersheds in the history of the twentieth century. Probably no one questions the enormous portent of this change. This kind of fundamental change, however, cannot be achieved only by one powerful blow, it must be a process; a highly complicated process of systemic transition from dictatorial system to democracy, as well as deep socio-political transformation of society.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
E. Wnuk-Lipinski, ‘Is a Theory of Post-Communist Transformation Possible?’, in E. Wnuk-Lipinski (ed.), After Communism: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Radical Social Change (Warsaw: Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1995) p. 6.
L. Balcerowicz, Socialism, Capitalism, Transformation (Budapest-London-New York: Central European University, 1995) p. 145.
I. Szelenyi, D. Treiman, E. Wnuk-Lipinski (eds), Elity w Polsce, Rosji i na Wegrzech: Wymiana czy reprodukcja? [Elites in Poland, Russia, and Hungary: Exchange or reproduction?] (Warsaw: Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Science, 1995) p. 189.
R. M. Jenkins, ‘Society and Regime Transition in East-Central Europe’, in Gy. Szoboszlai, Flying Blind: Emerging Democracies in East-Central Europe (Budapest: Hungarian Political Science Association, 1992) p. 115.
A. Agh, ‘The Europeanization of the ECE Polities and the Emergence of the New Parliaments’, in Attila Agh (ed.), The Emergence of East-Central European Parliaments: The First Steps (Budapest: Hungarian Centre of Democracy Studies, 1994) p. 10.
A. Agh, ‘From Competition to Cooperation: The Europeanization and Regionalization of Central Europe’, in Integration and Disintegration in Contemporary Europe (Budapest: Institute for Political Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1995) p. 58.
G. Schöplflin, Politics in Eastern Europe (Blackwell, Oxford [UK]-Cambridge [USA] 1993) pp. 5–37.
J. Collins, a senior coordinator for the New Independent States. Wireless File: A Bulletin of the Embassy of the United States in Budapest, 20 Dec. 1995.
A. Smolar, ‘Polish Elections’ in Institute for Human Science (IWM) Newsletter, Vienna (September–November 1995) p. 23.
A. Bibic, ‘Democracy and Civil Society’, in A. Bibic, G. Graziano (eds), Civil Society, Political Society, Democracy (Lubljana: Slovenian Political Science Association, 1994) p. 53.
V. Bunce, ‘Democracy, Stalinism and Management of Uncertainty’, in Gy. Szoboszlai (ed.), Democracy and Political Transformation (Theories and East-Central Europe Realities) (Budapest: Hungarian Political Science Association, 1991) p. 143.
I. Szelenyi, Socialist Entrepreneurs. Embourgeoisement in Rural Hungary (The University of Wisconsin Press, 1988) p. 17.
M. Z. Petschnig, Oröksegtöl öröksegig: A Magyar gazdasag 1990–1994 [From heritage to heritage: Hungarian economy 1990–1994] (Budapest: Szazadveg, 1994) p. 11.
A. Inotai, M. Sass, ‘Economic Integration of the Visegrad Countries. Facts and Scenarios’, Working Paper, no. 33 (Budapest: Institute for World Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1994) p. 27.
J. Stefanowicz, ‘Central Europe between Germany and Russia: A View from Poland’, Security Dialogue, vol. 26, no. 3 (March 1995) p. 60 and following.
A. D. Rotfeld, ‘The Fundamental Changes and the New Security Agenda’, in SIPRI Yearbook 1992 (Oxford University Press, 1992) p. 2.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2000 Bogdan Góralczyk
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Goralczyk, B. (2000). The post-communist world: a conceptual framework. In: Kostecki, W., Żukrowska, K., Góralczyk, B.J. (eds) Transformations of Post-Communist States. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230511309_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230511309_16
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-41146-7
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-51130-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)