| Despite gloomy predictions, democracy and the market economy seem to be taking root throughout Eastern Europeand also despite the background of a recession deeper and longer than the Great Depression of the 1930s. How was this possible? Why did Eastern Europeans protest less about the brutal social consequences of systemic change than the people of Latin America had a decade earlier? Why has a regionwide authoritarian or populist turnabout not occurred? Why has democracy in these countries proved to be crisis proof? And in what ways has economic crisis impacted the politics of the region? These are the major questions on which this book focuses. I hope to contribute to widening the horizon of East European transformation studies by drawing upon Latin American comparisons, and vice versa. I also hope to offer interesting reading for instructors and students of comparative political economy wishing to explore the East European experience, as well as for journalists writing on the region. |
| It took me four years to write this book. From 1993 to 1996 I taught in the Department of Political Science of the Central European University in Budapest; in 1997 I was in the Sociology Department of the CEU in Warsaw. In Budapest I contributed to a departmental research project titled "Transition to What?" Our purpose was the proper conceptualization of the political and economic system that has been emerging in East Central Europe. Generous funding for this project has been provided by the founder of the Central European University, Mr. George Soros. |
| It was mainly due to the intellectually stimulating atmosphere of the Political Science Department, as well as the interest and assistance of my colleagues, that I was able to conduct my research, raising my questions and gradually developing my answers. Specifically, without the challenge of weekly department seminars where I could present early drafts of various chapters and learn from my colleagues' own findings, writing this book would have been impossible. For their significant intellectual input I am indebted to my colleagues: Andrew Arat, Zoltn Balzs, Andrs Bozki, Andrs Bragyova, Andrs Brdy, Lszl Bruszt, Ivn Csaba, Lszl Csontos, Nenad Dimitrijevic, Zsolt Enyedi, Attila Flsz, Stefano Guzzini, Jnos Kis, Mihly Laki, Anna Leander, Tams Meszerics, Istvn Rv, Tams Rudas, Judit Sndor, Mikls Sksd, and Gbor Tka. Important technical assistance came from Gyngyi Petrk and Istvn |
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