Security Intelligence Services in New Democracies: The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania by Kieran s> Williams Dennis Deletant (review)

Abstract

122 SEER, 82, I, 2004 more uncertainmarket-basedsystem.The economic securityand certaintyof the past has been replacedby insecurityin which there are clear winners and losers. Income inequality has widened and the losers have had most to fear. Consistentevidence showsthat it is the young and the educatedwho aremore positive and adaptable,with fewerfearsthan the elderlyand the lesseducated who have found it harder to adjust. Apart from economic worries about poverty and especiallythe threatof unemployment, other qualityof life issues are surveyedsuch as health, environmentand crimeplus politicalchange and fearsabout governmentsand changing foreignthreats. Each country also has its own specificconcerns, more so in Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine, in comparison with the Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania.The formergroupgenerallyfaredworseeconomically astheUSSR dissolved and they also suffered significantly from poor health, lower life expectancy and concern about environmental degradation. The Chernobyl nuclear reactor was a particular source of fear there. Nevertheless, even between the countrieswhich comprisethe formerUSSR therearedifferences, andBelaruswhich haschangedleasthasgeneratedlessfearanddissatisfaction. The main problem seems to be when rapid change occurs, expectations are not fulfilledand people are overwhelmedby a multiplicityof new problems. Each national chapter follows a similar pattern and generally strikesthe rightbalance between statisticalresults(oftenillustratedin tables),description and explanation. The book also includes two chapters which cover the fears of Russian immigrants in America and Israel. These provide original comparative material which fits within the frameworkof the book, but also provides valuable information on the migration processperse.It might have been better to move the final case study on Israel to chapter nine, dropping the American case essay which seems to add little, since it covers general problems and notjust fears.The conclusion to the book by the two editors is thoughtful;for example, on rational/irrational fears and comparing big and smallcountries.Whetherreferenceto Bulgariain thisconclusion is considered helpfuldepends upon readers'interestin particularcountries.To some degree the book reflects the American editors' availabilityof material and a future edition based on new data might consider adding some other Central and EastEuropeancountries. Overallthisis a briefbutwell edited book, with few mistakesand even those prove fortuitous when saying 'that Polls[sic] and Russians do not see each othervery favourably'(p. 63). BradfordCentreforInternational Development J. HARROP University ofBradford Williams, Kieran and Deletant, Dennis. Security Intelligence Services in New Democracies. TheCzech Republic, Slovakia andRomania. Studiesin Russia and East Europe. Palgrave, Basingstoke and New York, 2001. iX + 29I Pp. Tables. Notes. Bibliography.Index. [47.50. THIS is an excellent volume. It representssolid researchby scholarswho have worked independently, yet come together to produce a fine volume, which REVIEWS 123 could not have been bettered. While Deletant has a long establishedrecord for his work on Romania, dating back to the Communist era and Nicolai Ceau?escu's Securitate, the excellent Kieran Williams is venturing into relativelynew territory.Together, they explore the territorywith the greatest accomplishment.The authorshave traced the developments surroundingthe security apparatusesunder consideration in some detail using open sources and have produced a strong empirical and comparative study of Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakiaand theirCommunist antecedents. There is no equivalentbook, so it seems almostpointlessto saythatthisbook is the best of its kind but its kind should be understood to be a broader class than merely books on these formerCommunist countries'securityand intelligence services. It is an excellent book as a study of Communist and former Communist countries and it is an excellent book as a study of security and intelligence services.Indeed, one of its notable strengthsis the fine discussion given to the use of the terms 'security' and 'intelligence.' The conceptual approach here shows understandingandjudgement. These passagescould or shouldbe thebasisforseriousdiscussionon allcoursesdealingwithintelligence and securityaffairs not because their intrinsicquality and strength makes them right,butbecause theyaddressallthe rightangles.Not onlyis thevolume intellectuallysharp,but it is also compelling and contemporary.In particular, it is to the authors' credit that developments such as weak links in the newly enlarged NATO are covered (for example, there was a problem during the Kosovo operations in I999, when Pragueproved to be an embarrassmentby giving away vital information on those operations, on Iraq and on personnel from other countries notably the UK). No sooner had the Czech Republic joined the Alliance than it was demonstrating precisely the problems faced in former Communist countries in making the transition to democracy and to NATO...