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Is There a Future for Liberalism in Eastern Europe?

Nenad Zakošek ; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Taking as his starting point the methodological precepts of the American liberal political scientist Adam Przeworski about the importance of the action-theory analysis of the transformational dynamics of postauthoritarian societies, the author looks into the prospects of liberal reforms in Eastern Europe. The central thesis of the article is that the reforms' success depends on the balance of power between liberal and national-populist elites, who vie for public support. The outcome of that struggle will depend on the way in which the competing elites will act in response to five essential contextual factors: the need for economic and social security, the expectations of social justice, the dynamics of the integration with the West , the articulation of the national identity within the national state, and possibly the existence of national minorities (i.e. the threat of inter-ethnic conflicts).

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

110398

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/110398

Publication date:

1.12.1995.

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