1. Introduction
After having discussed major theoretical approaches regarding political transition as far as post-communist countries are concerned in the first stage, it is due to fill this theoretical framework with examples and figures. Being aware of some common steps every country, which finds itself in a transitional process, has to undertake in order to establish a functioning democracy, the theory also shows that the course as well as the success towards the before said goal might be completely different.
Against this background, the main aim of the current research is a comparison of three former communist states, namely Estonia, Czech Republic and Romania, regarding their progress of the transitional process up to the present moment, thereby mainly focusing on political aspects. In doing so, one has to realise that the evaluation of political transition is much more complicated than assessing economical transition for example, because neither success nor failure of can be just displayed in figures as it might be possible for economical issues. However, theory has been proofing that one can not assess developments of countries in transition while only focusing on economical outcomes. Even the neo liberal hardliner and American scientist and philosopher Francis Fukuyama has been admitting in his recent publication “States-Building”, that creating states under the rule of law is even more important than free markets . In respect to that, this work tries to use the few measures existing in order provide an objective comparative analysis. In addition to that it should be evaluated in what way the opportunity to join international organisations (NATO and especially the European Union) has been boosting political transition in the above mentioned countries. Moreover it should be found out whether there is a connection between successful transition and deeper European integration.
For that matter, the first part compares general developments of political transition. The second part is analysing developments of the three countries regarding their way towards NATO and EU accession, which has in fact both become reality for Estonia and ČR. The last part tries to provide a conclusion about the outcomes of the (political) transition process as well as to point out remaining problems which are still due to resolve.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Development of political transition issues
2.1. First steps and distinct issues during the initial phase
2.2. Crucial issues and strategies of political transition
2.3. Country ratings by comparison
2.3.1. The citizens’ attitudes comparison
2.3.2. Freedom House country classification
2.3.3. Democratic contestability assessment
3. Developments towards international organisations
3.1. NATO membership
3.2. EU enlargement
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Focus
This study provides a comparative analysis of the political transition processes in Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Romania. The primary objective is to evaluate the progress of these three former communist states toward functioning democracies and market economies, while examining how the pursuit of integration into international organizations, specifically NATO and the European Union, has influenced their domestic political stabilization.
- Comparative analysis of political transition in post-communist states.
- Evaluation of democratic consolidation through citizen attitudes and institutional ratings.
- Impact of NATO and EU accession on national political development.
- Distinction between state-building, decommunization, and economic reform strategies.
- Examination of the connection between international integration and successful transition.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. First steps and distinct issues during the initial phase
As already mentioned in the introduction, it’s save to assume that there is a common and generally valid framework for every country in transition. Referring to Dankwart A. Rustows dynamic transition model, transition follows three major phases, namely preparatory, decision and consolidation phase. However, one can recognize different initial occurrences which variously characterize the preparatory phase of each country on the one hand and which are heavily influencing the first steps of each state on the other, thereby following Evald Mikkels argumentation about the relative importance of distinct issues for different post communist societies during the initial phase of transition. While taking a closer look on the states which will be compared in this work, some major differences will become obvious straight away, which are already indicating dissimilar developments within the later transition process.
Starting with Estonia, the first movements of protest in 1987 were basically not dedicated against the Estonian communist party as such (and as it was the case in most of the south eastern and middle European states), but against Moscow’s colonial rule over the Estonian economy. Moreover, Soviet leaders tried to establish huge phosphate mines in northern Estonia by that time, which caused serious environmental concerns within the Estonian society and consequently a wave of protest leading into a massive national movement. Encouraged by the success, the first public post-war demonstrations against Soviet occupation took place on 23rd of August 1987 aiming at the re-independence of the country. The so called Singing Revolution was guided by intellectuals declaring themselves as the Popular Front movement which was rapidly developing ideas of economic autonomy. By transferring the above mentioned facts to Mikkels theoretical framework, one can summarize that the Estonian policy was focusing on nation/state building as well as on marketisation during the first stage of transition, which was obviously influencing the first steps of responsible decision makers.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research scope comparing the political transition of Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Romania and introduces the hypothesis that international integration acts as a catalyst for reform.
2. Development of political transition issues: Analyzes the diverse initial conditions of the three countries and establishes criteria such as constitutional order and citizen attitudes to measure democratic consolidation.
3. Developments towards international organisations: Evaluates how the requirements for NATO and EU membership served as structural benchmarks to guide and accelerate the political and legal transformation in the three states.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes findings on the success of transition in the observed countries and reflects on the limitations of the "EU model" regarding the establishment of a common social identity.
Keywords
Political transition, Post-communist states, Estonia, Czech Republic, Romania, Democratic consolidation, NATO, European Union, Constitution, Rule of law, Freedom House, Democratization, Economic reform, Nation building, European integration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
This work focuses on the comparative political development of Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Romania following the collapse of communism, specifically examining their paths to democratic stability.
Which countries are compared in this study?
The study provides a comparative analysis of Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
What is the central research question?
The research asks how the opportunity to join international organizations like NATO and the European Union has influenced the transition process and whether there is a direct correlation between this integration and political success.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative analysis of institutional ratings, including Freedom House classifications, World Bank data on democratic contestability, and citizen attitude surveys.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the initial phases of transition, the role of constitutions, citizen trust in political institutions, and the specific pressures and benchmarks imposed by EU and NATO accession requirements.
What are the characterizing keywords of this research?
Key terms include political transition, democratic consolidation, institutional reform, international integration, and the specific comparative metrics used for the three analyzed countries.
How does Estonia differ from Romania in its transition path?
Estonia focused early on independence and nation-building, while Romania faced a more difficult transition from a rigid totalitarian system, resulting in slower but ongoing progress.
Does the author consider EU membership a complete solution?
The author argues that while EU membership provides a crucial framework for political and legal reform, it lacks a sufficient social dimension to foster a fully unified European identity.
- Citation du texte
- Magister Christian Vogel (Auteur), 2005, The success of political transition in Estonia, Czech Republic and Romania, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75140
