Studiet af politiske partier i Central- og Osteuropa —med en gennemgang af den vigtigere literatur

Abstract

Studying political parties in central eastern Europe - an overview of the most important literature. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the most important scientific litterature dealing with the development of political parties and party systems in the Central East European countries seen in the context of transition from planned economy to market economy and democracy of the 'Western type'. The main focus is on the four Central European countries, i.e. Poland, The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Furthermore, some conclusions are drawn concerning the development in each of the four countries mentioned. In all four countries changes in the direction of moderate multiparty systems have taken place, also a partly defreezing of the old 'We-Them' discource from the late stage of real socialism and the period just after the collapse of the old systems. However, also some important differences between the four countries can be observed, some due to the legacy of the past, e.g. the previous regime-type, others to institutional and policy related factors and characteristics of the new political elites.