Reinventing Politics: Eastern Europe from Stalin to Havel

Using primary materials from Eastern European democratic movements, Tismaneanu shows how dissident enclaves, grassroots political groups, independent unions and underground initiatives spearheaded the spontaneous outbursts of discontent that led to the nonviolent collapse of communist dictatorships. Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland--countries with strong underground protest movements--seem to have embarked decisively on the road to an open society, observes Tismaneanu, University of Maryland political scientist. In contrast, Albania, Romania and Yugoslavia, with weaker civic traditions, are now beset by fragmentation and unrest. In an illuminating, exciting comparative analysis of the breakup of the Soviet Union's outer empire, Tismaneanu follows communist governance in each of the Eastern bloc countries from postwar Stalinist intervention to the present. He identifies bureaucratic inertia, renascent authoritarian tendencies and the lure of populist adventurers as key obstacles to democracy. (Apr.)