A Rebirth of Diplomacy: The Foreign Policy of Communist Romania between Subordination and Autonomy, 1948–1962

Abstract

Nicolae Ceauşescu of Romania was well-known during the Cold War as a non-conformist voice in the Communist bloc, especially because of his opposition to the Soviet Union and spectacular foreign policy initiatives. But was that line Ceauşescu's creation? This analysis examines the sources of Romania's dynamic and autonomous foreign policy in the Cold War and shows that the origins of this foreign policy can be traced back to Ceauşescu's predecessor, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. The shock caused by de-Stalinisation and Nikita Khrushchev's reformist policies saw the Romanian party leadership limit its dependence on the Soviet Union, both politically and economically. Romania's foreign policy experienced a revival starting from the tumultuous moments when Gheorghiu-Dej listened to Khrushchev's Secret Report at the 20th Congress in February 1956. Fearing the loss of his position in power, Gheorghiu-Dej saw relations outside the Communist bloc as a source of stability.