Redeeming the Communist Past: The Regeneration of Communist Parties in East Central Europe by Anna M. s> Grzymala-Busse (review)

Abstract

REVIEWS I67 Saxonberg does not reallysucceed in developing a middle range model, as defined by Robert Merton, which elucidates the East-Central European collapse of communist systems. He compiles an exhaustive and thorough compendium of approachesand builds up an edifice of 'partialexplanations'. This is most noticeable in the conclusion which is little more than a summary of the ground covered earlier in the study along with a favourablereview of Linz and Stepan. This, as well as the empirical examination, is admirably comprehensive in terms of detail, dimensions and time periods covered. The book has undoubted solid merits, and yet, despite all the hard labour which has clearly gone into it, the study, although argued well enough, section by section, stillhas a referencebook feel about it. One is hardlysurprisedto learn that this studystartedlife as an Uppsala Universitydoctoral dissertation.The positive side, though, is that it draws on extensive documentation, albeit, mainly secondary sources, apart from interviews with some actors and participants,which are utilizedvery sensiblyby the author. Althoughthepublishershave produceda glossyand attractivepublicationit is deplorable that this academic publication has been so poorly proof-read. This clashesparticularlybadlywith the sweepingencomiums and enthusiastic endorsementswhich the publishershave collected on the author'sbehalf.The appearance of a certain 'Seymore' Martin Lipset in the forewordwould, by itself,raiseno more than an academic chuckle!But the text is litteredwith an annoying set of typographicalerrorsand linguisticinaccuracies,especiallyas faras names are concerned, which undermineconfidence in the analysis.I do not demurfromthe greatman's (Lipset's) judgement that 'Saxonbergpresents a highly ambitious and complex analysis of the downfall of communism' (p. xiii). This work certainly provides a useful and detailed synthesis of the currentdebateandstateofplayon thesubject.Iremainunconvinced,however, asto whetherthisveryworkmanlikestudycontributesmuchthatissignificantly originalorcriticalto eitherdemocratizationorEastEuropeanstudies. Department ofPolitics GEORGE SANFORD University ofBristol Grzymala-Busse, Anna M. Redeeming the Communist Past. 7The Regeneration of Communist Parties inEastCentral Europe. CambridgeStudiesin Comparative Politics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York, 2002. xviii + 34I pp. Notes. Tables.Appendices. Bibliography.Index. f45.o0; ? I5.95. THEProteannatureof politicalpartieshas oftenbeen remarked,but no better example of it could be produced than the recent trajectoryof the formerly ruling communist parties of Europe which all survived the revolutionary change in their countries, embracing the liberal democratic model and shuffling into place as contenders in a competitive party system. This very useful work, composed some ten years after the fall of these parties from power, examines theirexperiences. The book is admirably organized and the arguments logically and convincinglylaid out. The authortakesas the basisfor comparisontheparties i68 SEER, 8i, I, 2003 of Poland, Hungary and of the Czech and Slovak divorced partners of Czechoslovakia. Occasional comparative references are made to other postcommunist cases. The book aims to contribute to three discussions in comparativepolitics:organizationaltransformation,the consolidation of new democraciesand politicalpartydevelopment. The chief focus is on the way in which the elitesof these partieswere able to benefitfroma 'usablepast'.Their monopoly of power had gone for ever, but not so the skills developed in exercisingthatmonopoly, which can now be seen to have been 'portable'. Among the book's many interesting argumentsis the view that success in adjustingto their changed circumstancesdepended in part on the ability of the successorpartiesto centralizetheirorganization.By 'centralize'the author means removing structuralimpediments to the leadership'sability to appeal directly to voters, the impediments in question being primarily regional organizationswhich in the past served to transmitdirectivesdownwards,but which could now articulatetheir own preferences as intermediate buildingblocks of a mass-membership party. The idea that bidding farewell to democratic centralismshould involve freeing the hands of a partyleadership will puzzle those who have long held that democratic centralismwas a recipe for intra-partyauthoritarianismand comfort those who have held that it was not. The authoris awareof this, and saysso. But as a comparativistshe could perhaps have pointed out that most European parties of the left are in fact doubly constrained,firstby the electorate and secondly by their structuresas membershipparties. The book is open to criticismon at leasttwo points. First,for a comparative work the selection of cases is narrow. The book deals with the successorsto only three rulingparties, and this smallbase narrowseven furtherat times as material on the Hungarian party fades. The author is well aware of this, and she introducesat the end some essentialcomparativematerialon other EastEuropean successorparties, but this only...