Suchergebnisse

The "Ex-communist party" label has often been used to describe the political ideas and political behavior of the former ruling communist parties operating in post-communist political systems. Yet, the former ruling communist parties have not only followed diverse paths of organizational transformation, but also have developed very different strategic visions of their role in the politics of post-communism. By comparing the political environments faced by the former ruling organizations of East Germany and Hungary and then utilizing content analysis to identify the strategic visions of each of the two organizations, this article demonstrates how different post-communist national political settings have resulted in divergent strategic visions for successor parties in Germany and Hungary.

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS -- PARTY AND STATE: PHOTOS -- FOREWORD -- I. The Soviet Model -- THE STATUS OF LAW UNDER COMMUNIST PARTY RULE -- THE POWER STRUCTURE AND THE CAPACITY FOR CHANGE IN COMMUNIST ONE-PARTY STATES: THEORY OF STATE AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW -- THE SPRA VOCHNIK PARTIINOGO RABOTNIKA AS A SOURCE OF PARTY LAW -- THE DISSEMINATION OF DECISIONS WITHIN THE PARTY -- THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEGAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF LATVIA AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION -- PARTY MEMBERS AND THE COURTS: EXPLOITATION OF PRIVILEGE -- THE USE OF CRIMINAL LAW BY THE CPSU IN THE STRUGGLE FOR THE REINFORCEMENT OF ITS POWER AND IN THE INNER-PARTY STRUGGLE -- THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND THE PROCURACY ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE -- THE CPSU AND THE JURIDICAL PERSON -- THE STATUS OF THE CPSU UNDER SOVIET CIVIL LAW AND OF ITS MEMBERS UNDER SOVIET CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE -- PARTY MEMBERSHIP AND LABOR LAW AND THE LEGAL POSITION OF WORKERS IN PARTY ORGANIZATIONS -- GUIDANCE BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF STATE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES IN THE USSR -- THE BEGINNING OF COMMUNIST PARTY FINANCIAL EXACTIONS FROM THE SOVIET STATE -- II. Imitations and Variations of the Soviet Model -- THE BULGARIAN COMMUNIST PARTY UNDER THE LAW -- THE PARTY OF LABOR OF ALBANIA AND THE LAW: HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND -- THE PARTY OF LABOR OF ALBANIA AND THE LAW: STATUTORY AND LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS -- THE SOCIALIST UNITY PARTY OF GERMANY (SED): CENTER OF THE GDR'S RULING ORDER -- THE RUMANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY IN THE RUMANIAN LEGAL SYSTEM -- THE STATUS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY IN THE CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST REPUBLIC -- THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE HUNGARIAN SOCIALIST WORKERS' PARTY -- THE POSITION OF THE POLISH UNITED WORKERS' PARTY IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF POLAND.

The book has been designed to offer a unique, updated and comprehensive study of Communist parties in the Middle East, based on a theoretical framework of analysis, substantial empirical research and archive documentation.

'Mit dem Untergang des Sowjetkommunismus sind die ehedem an ihm orientierten Parteien keineswegs von der politischen Landkarte Europas verschwunden. Ein Vergleich der westeuropäischen Formationen fördert drei ideologisch- programmatische Strömungen zu Tage: Traditionelle KPen halten am Erbe des Marxismus-Leninismus weitgehend fest, während sich postkommunistische Organisationen weitgehend davon lösen, Kapitalismuskritik zum Teil mit ökologistischen Konzepten verbinden. Dazwischen angesiedelt sind Reformkommunisten, die dem Leninismus in Teilen abschwören, dem Marxismus aber überwiegend die Treue halten. Angesichts der Auflösung traditioneller Milieus gehen alle drei Strömungen im Wettbewerb mit der etablierten gemäßigten Linken einer ungewissen Zukunft entgegen.' (Autorenreferat)

This major study examines one of the most surprising developments in East Central European politics after the democratic transitions of 1989: the completely unexpected regeneration of the former communist parties. After the collapse of the communist regimes in 1989, these ruling communist parties seemed consigned to oblivion. However, confounding scholarly and popular expectations, all of these parties survived. Some have even returned to power. This in-depth, comparative study systematically analyzes the trajectories of four cases: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary (with additional examination of other communist party successors). Relying on extensive, and unprecedented, primary research, this analysis employs a consistent analytical framework that combines the peculiarities of the post-socialist cases with broad theoretical concerns of institutional analysis, democratic transitions and consolidation, and party politics

Annotation