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“The present volume is an attempt to provide a fresh interpretation of the contexts, meanings, and consequences of the revolutions of 1989. It does not aim to search for ‘new truths’ or novel explanations for the fall of Communism and for the mostly peaceful and sudden upheavals that took place in 1989. It does, however, emphatically argue for re-thinking, re-visiting, and reassessing the filters and means that scholars use to interpret this watershed moment in our recent history….. The upheaval in Eastern Europe represented a series of political revolutions that led to the decisive and irreversible transformation of the existing order. Instead of autocratic, one-party systems, the revolutions created emerging pluralist polities. While it is true that we still do not know whether all these societies have become well-functioning liberal democracies, it is nevertheless important to emphasize that in all of them the Leninist systems based on ideological uniformity, political coercion, dictatorship over human needs and suppression of civic rights have been dismantled.” Excerpts from Introduction by Vladimir Tismaneanu, University of Maryland "The contributions to this volume add original perspectives not only to the ongoing discussions about the roots and consequences of the collapse of East European Communims but also engage in a stimulating fashion with the broader academic and intellectual debates about the battle of ideologies in the twentieth century and the likely implications of the demise of MarxistLeninist regimes in the former Soviet space for the evolution of Western liberalism and its potential ideological challengers." Grigore Pop-Eleches, Princeton University Central European University Press Budapest–New York Sales and information: ceupress@ceu.hu http://www.ceupress.com Website: ISBN 978-615-5053-65-8 ...

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