Eastern Europe Since 1970 [1 ed.]

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Eastern Europe Since 1970 Decline of Socialism to Post-Communist Transition Bülent Gökay Seminar Studies in History

Eastern Europe since 1970

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SEMINAR STUDIES

IN HISTORY

Eastern Europe since 1970 BULENT GOKAY

~ ~~o~~~;~~~up LONDON AND NEW YORK

First published 2001 by Pearson Education Limited Published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Copyright© 2001, Taylor & Francis. The right of Bülent Gökay to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. 1n using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or darnage to persans or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. ISBN 13: 978-0-582-32858-7 (pbk) British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gökay, Bülent. Eastern Europe since 1970 I Bülent Gökay. p. cm. -- (Seminar studies in history) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-582-32858-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Europe, Eastern--History--1945-1989. 2. Europe, Eastern--History--1989- I. Tide. II. Series. DJK50 .G628 2001 94 7' .0009'045--dc21

2001022349

CONTENTS

Introduction to the Series Note on Referencing System List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements Maps Chronology

1.

INTRODUCTION: UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF CHANGE The Geopolitics of Eastern Europe The Controversies over the Causes of Communism's Collapse in Eastern Europe Aims of this Book

Vll Vlll

viii ix x-xn Xlll

1 1 6 9

PART ONE: BACKGROUND

11

EASTERN EUROPE AFTER STALIN, 1953-69 East-Central Europe The Balkans

13 14 18

PART TWO: ANALYSIS

23

3.

POLITICS 1970s: A Period of Normalisation and the 'Brezhnev Doctrine' 1980s: Hesitation at the Top and Revolt from Below

25 26 37

4.

EAST EUROPEAN ECONOMIES The Key Components of the Communist Economic System Council of Mutual Economic Aid (COMECON) 1970s: Pressure for Reform 1980s: Crisis in the East European Economies Reasons for Economic Failure

45 46 48 49 59 66

5.

THE COLLAPSE The Results of Economic Failure Gorbachev and the Impact of Change in the Soviet Union Political Challenge: The Snowball Effect, 1989-91 An Overview of the Collapse

69 69 72 75 84

2.

Vl

6.

Contents

PART THREE: ASSESSMENT

87

POST-COMMUNIST TRANSITIONS: OLD PATTERNS, NEW TRENDS Dilemmas of Transition The Tragedy of Yugoslavia

89 90 93

PART FOUR: DOCUMENTS

97

Glossary Who's Who Bibliography Index

138

143 149 161

INl'l\ODUCtiON 1'0 THE

SE'R.~lt$

Suoh. is th,e !Ji>ate of nistor·icaa enqu~ry ~n t'he modern worM tllaat there is am. ever-wiGlening gap between the speciallst arcle:le or mon(!lgraph, inoo~racl·ng the Jiesults f Cliu:rent :researoh, and gener~ st:tr:veys, wl' contilll.ued his wor:k., ibe£ore handing tlhe editorship over to Olive l'£ms!ley Gordon Martel. Clive Emsley is Professor of History at the ' Open University, while Gordon Martel is P:r:oiessor o£ International ffisteey at the •tJnb'ersiey 0£ !Nol"t!hern British, C0lumbia, Canada, and ~eni0r Researdh :Fellow :'~tiDe MontfrtUJliliversrcy. Ml the boo;ks are writtea"by expelitS in rhefr f.ield who are not only famJIJiar with the latest research but have o£ten c0nttibuted tl.\l it. 'l(lhey a