EASTERN EUROPE IN FLUX

In: Problems of communism, Band 39, Heft 3, S. 99-103

Abstract

IN 1989, COMMUNIST PARTIES IN EASTERN EUROPE SURRENDERED POWER BECAUSE THEY LACKED POLITICAL LEGITIMACY, LOST CONTROL OF THE INSTRUMENTS OF COERCION, AND COULD NO LONGER RELY ON MOSCOW FOR SUPPORT. STUDENTS OF EAST EUROPEAN AND SOVIET POLITICS FAILED TO UNDERSTAND OR PREDICT THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF THE CRISIS LEADING TO THE OVERTHROW OF MARXIST-LENINIST RULE IN EASTERN EUROPE. HENCE, RECENT WORKS ON SOVIET-EAST EUROPEAN RELATIONS THAT ASSUME BOTH CONTINUED COMMUNIST PARTY CONTROL IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CONTINUED SOVIET DOMINATION OF THE REGION ARE HISTORICALLY INTERESTING BUT HAVE BEEN OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS.