Stalinism Revisited

The Establishment of Communist Regimes in East-Central Europe
Erscheinungsjahr 2009
ISBN: 978-963-9776-63-0
Verlag: Central European University Press

Buch, Englisch, 452 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 653 g

Deals with the period of takeover and of ‘high Stalinism’ in Eastern Europe (1945–1955). These years are considered to be fundamentally characterized by institutional and ideological transfers based upon the premise of radical transformism and of cultural revolution. Both a balance-sheet and a politico-historical synthesis that reflects the archival and thematic novelties which came about in the field of communism studies after 1989.

Contains contributions analyzing various aspects related these topics for each country of the former Soviet bloc (with the exception of Albania). The essays are based on new archival research, some are reassessments of the author’s previous research and others are critical appraisals of the specific literature published on issues related to the main topic. A path-breaking comparative framework for interpreting the relationship between late Stalinism and the communist takeovers in former Eastern Europe. A bonus for the volume is that it also provides detailed, sectorial analyses for the Romanian case, something that the field paritcularly lacks.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Tismaneanu, Vladimir

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction by Vladimir Tismaneanu

Part One: Stalinism Revisited and the Takeover Model

Stalinist Revolutionary Breakthroughs in Eastern Europe (Kenneth Jowitt)

Diabolical Pedagogy and the (Il)logic of Stalinism in Eastern Europe (Vladimir Tismaneanu)

Stalin, Soviet Policy, and the Consolidation of a Communist Bloc in Eastern Europe, 1944–1953 (Mark Kramer)

Popular Democracy: an Illusion? (Alfred J. Rieber)

Part Two: The Establishment of Communist Regimes

Eastern Europe between the USSR and the West: Reflections on the Origins and Dynamics of the Cold War (Thomas W. Simons, Jr)

Legitimation deficit and legitimation crisis in East European societies (Agnes Heller)

The Paradox of East German Communism: From Non-Stalinism to Neo-Stalinism? (John Connelly)

Road to “People’s Poland:” Stalin’s Conquest Revisited (Antoni Z. Kaminski, Bartlomiej Kaminski)

Part Three: Stalinism and Historiography

Revisiting Hungarian Stalinism (Janos Rainer)

Avatars of the Romanian Academy and the Historical Front (1948 versus1955) (Bogdan Cristian Iacob)

Bulgarian Stalinism Revisited (Ekaterina Nikova)

Historicizing a Disputed Theme: Anticommunist Armed Resistance in Romania (Dorin Dobrincu)

Part Four: National or Revolutionary Breakthroughs?

Hope Died Last: The Czechoslovak Road to Stalinism (Bradley Abrams)

Propaganda and Culture in Romania at the Beginning of the Communist Regime (Cristian Vasile)

Varieties of Stalinism in Light of the Yugoslav Case (Svetozar Stojanovic)

Community Building and Identity Politics in Gheorghiu-Dej’s Romania (1956–1964) (Dragos Petrescu)

List of Contributors

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Tismaneanu, Vladimir
Vladimir Tismaneanu is Professor of politics and Director of the Center for the Study of Post-communist Societies at University of Maryland (College Park).