Political Parties of Eastern Europe: A Guide to Politics in the Post-communist Era: A Guide to Politics in the Post-communist Era - Hardcover

Bugajski, Janusz

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1563246767 ISBN 13: 9781563246760

Publisher: Routledge, 1997

Synopsis

This comprehensive one-volume guide to politics in Eastern Europe provides a wealth of information on the region. The author outlines the emergent political spectrum of parties and coalitions, which are described in the 20 country chapters that make up the heart of the book. Parties are classified across the political spectrum and discussed individually in terms of programs, leadership, and political activity. Tables at the end of each country chapter present basic political data and electoral results. A concluding essay evaluates democratic development in the region.

About this title

About the Author

Janusz Bugajski

Reviews

This book serves a real need in current reference literature. The bewildering history of political parties in post-Communist Eastern Europe is at once a centerpiece of the region's democratic transition and a source of persistent confusion. There exists a volatile array of party names, personalities, and movements, and Bugajski (director, East European Studies, Ctr. for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC) appears to have neglected none of them among the countries he treats. Also, after more than a decade since the collapse of Eastern European communism, a sufficient history of regional electoral activity has accrued to make this book's painstakingly assembled data of particular value for comparative research. Country entries balance a broad account of each state's history with descriptions of all parties, including small ethnic and local groups, an especially valuable feature for the Balkan nations. An introductory essay called "Pluralism and Democratization" offers a workmanlike if uncritical review of the current literature and most major questions on the transition. Finally, separate indexes of party and personal names enhance the book's utility. This work's major weakness is its exclusion of Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union outside of Europe, yet the cost and the length of the present volume suggest that a single comprehensive work would have been especially difficult to prepare. Although a book of this scope can be recommended comfortably for what it includes, some libraries may consider it preferable to invest in the current edition of Political Parties of the World, edited by Alan Day. Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ., Erie
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1563246767
• ISBN 13: 9781563246760
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 1120