An accessible yet comprehensive introduction to this crucial period in Cold War history.

Introduction to the Series Vll
Note on Referencing System Vlll
List of Figures and Tables viii
Acknowledgements ix
Maps x-xn
Chronology Xlll
1. INTRODUCTION: UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT
OF CHANGE 1
The Geopolitics of Eastern Europe 1
The Controversies over the Causes of Communism's Collapse in
Eastern Europe 6
Aims of this Book 9
PART ONE: BACKGROUND 11
2. EASTERN EUROPE AFTER STALIN, 1953-69 13
East-Central Europe 14
The Balkans 18
PART TWO: ANALYSIS 23
3. POLITICS 25
1970s: A Period of Normalisation and the 'Brezhnev Doctrine' 26
1980s: Hesitation at the Top and Revolt from Below 37
4. EAST EUROPEAN ECONOMIES 45
The Key Components of the Communist Economic System 46
Council of Mutual Economic Aid (COMECON) 48
1970s: Pressure for Reform 49
1980s: Crisis in the East European Economies 59
Reasons for Economic Failure 66
5. THE COLLAPSE 69
The Results of Economic Failure 69
Gorbachev and the Impact of Change in the Soviet Union 72
Political Challenge: The Snowball Effect, 1989-91 75
An Overview of the Collapse 84
Vl Contents
PART THREE: ASSESSMENT 87
6. POST-COMMUNIST TRANSITIONS: OLD PATTERNS,
NEW TRENDS 89
Dilemmas of Transition 90
The Tragedy of Yugoslavia 93
PART FOUR: DOCUMENTS 97
Glossary 138
Who's Who 143
Bibliography 149
Index