Civil Society After Communism: Rival Visions*

The countries of Central and Eastern Europe successfully transitioned to democracy. Do their ongoing political problems exist today because of or in spite of the European Union?

Under the pressure of compliance with the Maastricht convergence criteria governments implement painful welfare state reforms.

The populist backlash against corruption, the CEE transition-era elites, and the liberal consensus has led to a democratic crisis, but does not portend systemic change.