Philanthropy's role in East Europe

Abstract

W hen Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the words, “There is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things,” he could hardly have imagined the extensive systemic transformations that are taking place around the world today as formerly non-democratic nations walk the path toward the establishment of more democratic systems. In the winter of 1989-1990 a monumental event took place. As Jan Urban, a key dissident figure in Czechoslovakia’s Civic Forum suggested, “winter blossomed into spring.“l That winter, the Berlin Wall tumbled, and the Velvet Revolution triumphed. Yet, these events were merely harbingers of other equally momentous events to come throughout East and Central Europe. Country after country began to take the first tentative steps in the arduous task of creating more democratic societies. The region experienced a surge of hope and optimism that had long been suppressed. The elections that followed these revolutions were just the first step in the process of establishing more democratic societies. Since &en, much of the initial optimism has dissipated with the cold realization of the difficulty and the time needed to build democracy. What should the next steps be in the process of building viable and sustainable democratic societies? ‘Ihe activities of The Pew Charitable Trusts (The Trusts), and certain other foundations, in East and Central Europe can serve as good guides for discussions on what role U.S. private foundations can have in strengthening the newly emerging democratic societies. Foundations have a long history of supporting efforts to strengthen democracy at home and abroad. In particular, one area where foundations have been especially effective is in the development of mechanisms designed to extend public debate. Since the revolutions of 1989-1990, it has become increasingly apparent that one of