Marketing Democracy: Changing Opinion about Inequality and Politics in East Central Europe / Edition 352

by David S. Mason, James R. Kluegel University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bernhard Christoph, Ludmila Khakulina, James R. Kleugel

Overview

This groundbreaking work explores popular attitudes on social, economic, and political justice in the former communist states of Russia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and eastern Germany. Drawing on detailed opinion surveys conducted in 13 countries in east and west in 1991, and replicated in Eastern Europe in 1996, the authors go beyond typical survey questions to explore the philosophically and theoretically important concept of justice. The 1991 survey showed that citizens of the region enthusiastically endorsed market capitalism in principle. Over the next five years, however, this enthusiasm waned, with growing popular sentiment that the economic order was not working fairly in fact. Elements of egalitarianism from the communist era persist, and people see a fair society as one with a substantially greater degree of economic equality than found in western capitalist states. Citizens of eastern Europe hope to create societies where people who work hard can earn and keep good money, but also where those in want have their basic needs met. The results show increasingly close links between economics and politics and underscore the critical importance of economic revival for democratic success. Only small minorities consider themselves 'winners' from the transition process assuring their support for democratic and economic transition. But most people feel they personally and their societies in general have gained little, or even lost, from the process. Many are increasingly fatalistic and apathetic and as a result have withdrawn from the political process. Invaluable for its longitudinal data and east-west comparisons, the book will have profound implications for the building of successful democracies in postcommunist systems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742501539
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/25/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	302
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.66(d)

About the Author

David S. Mason is professor of political science at Butler University. James R. Kluegel is professor of sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction: Public Opinion and Political Change in the Postcommunist States Chapter 2 Bulgaria: Political and Economic Crisis; Democratic Consolidation Chapter 3 Economic Justice in the Czech Republic Chapter 4 Russia: Changing Perceptions of Social Justice Chapter 5 Trends and Perceptions of Social Inequality in Hungary, 1991–1996 Chapter 6 Justice Ideologies, Perceptions of Reward Justice, and Transformation: East and West Germany in Comparison Chapter 7 Market Justice in Transition Chapter 8 Political System Legitimacy: Representative? Fair? Chapter 9 Participation in the Foundations of Democracy Chapter 10 Conclusion: Social Justice, Democracy, and Capitalism in Eastern Europe

Editorial Reviews

This book goes beyond economic perceptions, experience, hopes or fears to introduce explicit evaluations of prosperity and poverty—whether they are justified or not, whether they are fair or not, whether, in particular, economic inequality might be considered fairer than equality. It is a significantly more sophisticated approach than one which relates political support merely to economic experience and perceptions themselves. This is a highly distinctive study, with its focus on economic justice rather than economic performance.

Europe-Asia Studies

Invaluable for its longtitudal, comparative approach, Marketing Democracy addresses public opinion in east and central Europe regarding social, political, and economic justice. The quality of these articles is generally high. This volume is a useful resource for specialists on forced migrations of people but could also be fruitfully assigned as an introduction to the field.

Slavic Review

A substantial and important work. A particular strength is the east-west as well as over-time dimension. This book makes a significant contribution to the comparative politics of postcommunism.

Stephen White

This is a valuable contribution to transition/transformation studies. The introduction can be recommended for students seeking an introduction to public opinion and political change in the post-communist countries, other chapters are more specialized and will be useful for area studies courses on specific countries (the ones of Russia, Hungary and East Germany are particularly interesting). The book is well documented and has a good bibliography.

Political Studies Review

There is plenty in this book that is invaluable. For anyone interested in the postcommunist transformation, this volume is indispensable.

Contemporary Sociology

This is a valuable contribution to transition/transformation studies. The introduction can be recommended for students seeking an introduction to public opinion and political change in the post-communist countries, other chapters are more specialized and will be useful for area studies courses on specific countries (the ones of Russia, Hungary and East Germany are particularly interesting). The book is well documented and has a good bibliography.

Political Studies