Soldiers and Societies in Postcommunist Europe
Soldiers and Societies in Postcommunist Europe

Author: A. Forster

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2003-09-08

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 0230523080

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This major comparative study examines the development of military-society relations in central and eastern Europe since the collapse of communism. Soldiers and Societies in Post-Communist Europe explores how the interaction of the common challenges of postcommunism and the diverse circumstances of individual countries are shaping patterns of military-society relations in this changing region. Detailed country case studies, written by international experts to a common analytical framework, compare the experiences of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia and Ukraine.

Armed Forces and Society in Europe
Armed Forces and Society in Europe

Author: A. Forster

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2005-10-31

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13: 0230502407

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In the post-Cold War era, European militaries are engaged in an ongoing adaptation which is challenging relations between armed forces and the societies that they serve. This book offers an innovative conceptual framework to critically evaluate contemporary civil-military relations across the continent of Europe. It analyzes eight key issues in armed forces and society relations, to explore the scale and intensity of these changes.

Civil-Military Relations in Post-Communist Europe
Civil-Military Relations in Post-Communist Europe

Author: Timothy Edmunds

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-10-18

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 1317970438

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Fifteen years after the fall of communism, we are able to appraise the results of the multi-faceted postcommunist transition in Central and Eastern Europe with authority. This volume specifically addresses the fascinating area of Civil-Military relations throughout this transitional period. The countries of the region inherited a onerous legacy in this area: their armed forces were part of the communist party-state system and most were oriented towards Cold War missions; they were large in size and supported by high levels of defence spending; and they were based on universal male conscription. Central and eastern European states have thus faced a three fold civil-military reform challenge: establishing democratic and civilian control over their armed forces; implementing organisational reform to meet the security and foreign policy demands of the new era; and redefining military bases for legitimacy in society. This volume assesses the experiences of Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro, Ukraine and Russia in these areas. Collectively these countries illustrate the way in which the interaction of broadly similar postcommunist challenges and distinct national contexts have combined to produce a wide variety of different patterns of civil-military relations. This book was previously published as a special issue of European Security.

Trust and Democratic Transition in Post-communist Europe
Trust and Democratic Transition in Post-communist Europe

Author: Ivana Marková

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 9780191734922

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A collection of essays concerned with theoretical and empirical analyses of trust and distrust in post-communist Europe which show that, while political and economic changes can have rapid effects, cultural and psychological changes may linger and influence political trust and representations of democracy.

Electoral Systems and Political Transformation in Post-Communist Europe
Electoral Systems and Political Transformation in Post-Communist Europe

Author: S. Birch

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2003-11-25

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 1403938768

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Electoral Systems and Political Transformation in Post-Communist Europe assesses the influence of electoral systems on political change in 20 post-communist European states. The main finding is that electoral institutions have systematic effects on the formation of representative structures. 'Party-enabling' aspects of electoral laws such as list proportional representation tend to foster popular inclusion in politics and institutionalized party systems, whereas 'politician-enabling' rules such as single-member districts and ballots that allow voters to select individuals often favour the development of weakly structured systems and high levels of popular exclusion from the representative process.

The Construction of Liberal Democracy
The Construction of Liberal Democracy

Author: Jack J. Porter

Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13: 1584874376

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"Rogue and "failed" states present numerous security challenges to the United States and the rest of the international community. Not only do these states offer refuge and at times assistance to violent nonstate actors such as terrorist organizations and pirate syndicates, their continued inability to respond to citizens' needs and unwillingness to respect human dignity establish the foundations for ongoing regional and global instability. With this challenge in mind, current U.S. and international foreign and security policy is directed at assisting these fragile communities in their efforts at democratic state and nation-building. The primary focus of this analysis is a detailed examination of two earlier and successful efforts at democratization, the Federal Republic of Germany and South Africa, paying particular attention to the role of civil-military institutions. After outlining the substantial theoretical and practical obstacles confronting these states, the monograph highlights the potential roles that the new armed forces can play in the democratic transition and consolidation phases. The analysis concludes with a number of policy recommendations and suggestions for those involved in these formidable and critical efforts."--

Adjusting to EMU
Adjusting to EMU

Author: B. Ardy

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2005-11-01

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 0230554741

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This book provides an original and wide-ranging analysis of the impact of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on economic governance in the EU and in several key Member States within and outside the Euro area. Its emphasis is on adaptation: how EMU encourages change in national and EU institutions and in national economic regimes. It brings together economic, political science and legal perspectives to explain how national economies adapted, the dynamics of policy-making and the complex web of laws, processes and actors in the EMU.

A Democratic Audit of the European Union
A Democratic Audit of the European Union

Author: C. Lord

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2003-11-30

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 140394816X

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A Democratic Audit of the European Union provides a systematic assessment of democracy in the EU against clearly defined criteria. Christopher Lord offers a double challenge to generalizations about a democratic deficit in the EU. On the one hand, it shows that standards of democratic performance in the EU may vary across Union institutions and decision-making processes. On the other hand, it shows that they can vary across key dimensions of democratic governance, including citizenship, rights, participation, representation, responsiveness, transparency and accountability.

Europeanization and Regionalization in the EU's Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe
Europeanization and Regionalization in the EU's Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe

Author: J. Hughes

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2004-10-12

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 0230503187

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This book is a study of EU conditionality and compliance during the enlargement to the Central and Eastern European candidate countries. EU conditionality for membership is widely understood as having been a driving force for Europeanization, providing incentives and sanctions for compliance or non-compliance with EU norms, such as the 'Copenhagen Criteria' and the adoption of the acquis communautaire . By taking regional policy and regionalization as a case study, this book provides a comparative analysis of the effects of conditionality on the Central and East European countries and explores the many paradoxes and weaknesses in the use of EU conditionality over time.