Kay Lawson, Andrea Römmele, Georgi Karasimenov (eds.)  
  Cleavages, Parties, and Voters   vergrößerte Ansicht in neuem Fenster    
  Studies from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania    
   
  292 S., Westport, Conn., Praeger, 1999  
  ISBN 0-275-95589-3  
     

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Table of Contents

Abstract

This collection of essays summarizes and explains one of the most fascinating developments of contemporary history: the peaceful revolution of the central European nations from a long period of authoritarian regimes to Western democracy. This process is still in full movement, so there is no escape from disturbing questions: Is this transition already achieved? Or is this a long-term evolution oscillating between ups and downs? Could the new political culture fail and collapse to a less flexible and humanitarian polity?
A simple answer cannot be given. But this book offers rich material and keen observationg by some of the most knowledgeable political analysts in these countries. From such a treasure of information and analyses some fundamental regularities can be extracted. A preface may serve best in its function as signpost and leader to the book by waking the reader to these natural laws of emerging democracy in the process of modernization.



Table of Contents:

Tables

Acknowledgments

Ernst Gehmacher Preface

Part I: Introduction

Andrea Römmele Cleavage Structures and Party Systems in East and Central Europe
Kay Lawson Cleavages, Parties, and Voters

Part II: Cleavages and Parties prior to 1989

Georgi Karasimeonov Between Democracy and Authoritarianism in Bulgaria
Lubomír Brokl Cleavages and Parties prior to 1989 in the Czech Republic
György G. Márkus Hungarian Cleavages and Parties prior to 1989
Hieronim Kubiak Parties, Party Systems, and Cleavages in Poland: 1918-1989
Petre Datculescu Romania: Cleavages and Parties before 1989

Part III: Cleavages and Parties after 1989

Georgi Karasimeonov Past and New Cleavages in Post-Communist Bulgaria
Josef Blahoz, Lubomír Brokl, and Zdenka Mansfeldová Czech Political Parties and Cleavages after 1989
György G. Márkus Cleavages and Parties in Hungary after 1989
Jerzy J. Wiatr Political Parties and Cleavage Crystallization in Poland, 1989-1993
Petre Datculescu Romania: Parties and Issues after 1989

Part IV: How the Voters Respond

Vladimir Shopov How the Voters Respond in Bulgaria
Lubomír Brokl and Zdenka Mansfeldová How the Voters Respond in the Czech Republic
János Simon Cleavages and Spaces of Competition in Hungary
Jacek Raciborski How the Voters Respond: Poland
Petre Datculescu Patterns of Voter Alignments in Present-Day Romania

Further Readings

Index

About the Contributors