Abstract
21 years after communism it is a time todraw up a balance-sheet on the democratic transformationsin Central-Eastern Europe (Poland, Slovakia,Czech Republic and Hungary). As the article proves,those do not represent a linear change from one pointof history – communist totalitarism – to another, anunproblematic liberal democracy. On the contrary, theeconomy of the Visegrad Fours is very fragile, whichbecame by the global financial crisis. Those have mostclear and most decisive is the constant influence of theEuropean Union to the democratization efforts in thecountries of the region. Finally, the paper argues thatthe process of democratic consolidation has gone quitefar in the Visegrad Countries and they are almost atthe same level as the other post-transition countries ofSouthern-Europe and Latin-America. One thing is forsure: the former ‘socialist’ countries have passed thepoint from where they could return to the old system.
Highlights
21 years after communism it is a time to draw up a balance-sheet on the democratic transformations in Central-Eastern Europe (Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary)
Though a detailed analysis will only be possible from a historical distance, the revolutionary political changes present a real challenge for scholars
Politics penetrated into the other spheres of the society and politicized them, causing abnormal development in these spheres of activity, and in the development of the political system and political culture
Summary
On the beginning of the second millennium, we find ourselves in historic times. History is like the ocean. When speaking of “transition” in this essay I have in my mind the transition of Central–Eastern Europe countries from socialism into pluralist democracies based on market economies and the transition period of Hungary in the nineties It is sometimes called the “Rule of Law revolution” by the members of the Hungarian Constitutional Court, referring to the direction and large scale of transition. The Visegrád Four – without any exception – have drifted into grave internal political crises (riots, governmental crises, ethnic conflicts, the state pulling out of several sectors, the situation of public health, unemployment, feelings against the Union, etc.) The former socialist countries of Central–Eastern Europe are having their most difficult times since the change of the system and it is to be feared that this crisis will have an effect for years. One thing is for sure, Brussels alone cannot solve everything for them
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