Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many countries in the Eastern Europe, which were formerly a part of USSR, went into a period of rapid transition from being authoritarian regimes to the more democratic ones. This transition included the dissolution of the former Soviet institutions, re-creation of their national identities at the state level which was formerly oppressed, broadening the citizenship rights and obligations, embracing the norms of liberal democracy and a switch to a market oriented economy. The process of transformation of the ‘illiberal states’ to the ‘liberal ones’ was arguably a part of the same wave of democratization in a global context which is generally referred as the ‘Third Wave of Democracy’ by scholars such as Samuel Huntington. It was expected that as a result of this transition, all countries which were formerly a part of Soviet Union would embrace the ideas such as democracy, rule of law, private property, free and fair elections and civil society. However, these new ideas along with the others such as civil society and active citizenry were not in the same line with the ideas in the communist USSR. Thus, there were a series of problems to overcome for the post-Soviet countries for democratization.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Early Stages of Transition
- Economic Reform and Political Development
- The Role of New Political Parties
- EU Integration and Democratization
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the transition to liberal democracy in the Czech Republic and Lithuania following the collapse of the Soviet Union. By comparing these two countries, the essay seeks to understand the factors that contributed to their different paces of democratization and development. The key themes explored in this essay are:- The process of democratization in post-Soviet countries
- The impact of economic reform on political development
- The role of new political parties in shaping the transition
- The influence of the European Union (EU) on democratization and integration
- The significance of historical, economic, and political factors in shaping the transition process
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides a general overview of the transition process in post-Soviet countries, highlighting the uneven pace of democratization. It introduces the Czech Republic and Lithuania as case studies, focusing on their contrasting development paths despite sharing a common historical experience. The first section examines the initial stages of transition in both countries, analyzing their socio-economic situations, the emergence of new political parties, and the impact of economic reforms. It discusses the contrasting approaches adopted by the Czech Republic and Lithuania, particularly regarding their priorities in the early years of independence. The second section explores the role of EU integration in the democratization process of the Czech Republic and Lithuania. It discusses how EU membership has impacted their political and economic development, promoting democratic values and fostering integration into the globalized world.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The essay focuses on the transition to liberal democracy, comparing the experiences of the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Key topics include democratization, economic reform, political development, new political parties, EU integration, and the impact of historical, economic, and political factors on the transition process.- Quote paper
- Can Esen (Author), 2011, A Comparative Analysis of Lithuania and Czech Republic with regards to their transition to the Liberal Democracy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/193978
