Stalinism Revisited
The Establishment of Communist Regimes in East-Central Europe

Edited by
Vladimir Tismaneanu, Professor of Politics at the University of Maryland

Deals with the period of takeover and of ‘high Stalinism’ in Eastern Europe (1945–1955). These years are considered to be fundamentally characterized by institutional and ideological transfers based upon the premise of radical transformism and of cultural revolution. Both a balance-sheet and a politico-historical synthesis that reflects the archival and thematic novelties which came about in the field of communism studies after 1989.

Contains contributions analyzing various aspects related these topics for each country of the former Soviet bloc (with the exception of Albania). The essays are based on new archival research, some are reassessments of the author’s previous research and others are critical appraisals of the specific literature published on issues related to the main topic. A path-breaking comparative framework for interpreting the relationship between late Stalinism and the communist takeovers in former Eastern Europe. A bonus for the volume is that it also provides detailed, sectorial analyses for the Romanian case, something that the field paritcularly lacks.

Stalinism Revisited brings together representatives of multiple generations to create a rich examination of the study and practice of Stalinism. While the articles are uniformly excellent, the book’s signal contribution is to bring recent research from Eastern European scholars to an English-speaking audience. Thus the volume is not just a “state of the discipline” collection, in which articles are collected to reflect that current situation of scholarship in a given field; instead, this one includes cutting edge scholarship that will prompt more of the same from other scholars in other fields/subfields. I would recommend this book highly to anyone interested in understanding the technology of Stalinism in both thought and practice.
Nick Miller, Boise State University

The Sovietization of post-1945 East-Central Europe—marked by the forceful imposition of the Soviet-type society in the region—was a process of massive socio-political and cultural transformation. Despite its paramount importance for understanding the nature of the communist regime and its legacy, the communist take-over in East Central European countries has remained largely under-researched. Two decades after the collapse of the communist system, Stalinism Revisited brings together a remarkable international team of established and younger scholars, engaging them in a critical re-evaluation of the institutionalization of communist regimes in East-Central Europe and of the period of “high Stalinism.” Sovietization is approached not as a fully pre-determined, homogeneous, and monolithic transformation, but as a set of trans-national, multifaceted, and inter-related processes of large-scale institutional and ideological transfers, made up of multiple “takeovers” in various fields. Theoretically minded and empirically sound, the collection adds key elements to our comparative understanding of Stalinist regimes in their various historical permutations. The richness of the source material employed and its comparative scope recommend Stalinism Revisited as a major, synthetic contribution to the study of East-Central Europe’s Sovietization.
Constantin Iordachi, Central European University, Budapest

Contents

Introduction Chapter I: Stalinism – a Takeover Model; Kenneth Jowitt: Stalinist Revolutionary Breakthroughs in Eastern Europe; Vladimir Tismaneanu: Diabolical Pedagogy and the (Il)logic of Stalinism in Eastern Europe; Mark Kramer: Stalin, Soviet Policy, and the Consolidation of a Communist Bloc in Eastern Europe, 1944-1953; Alfred J. Rieber Popular Democracy: an Illusion? Chapter II: The Establishment of Communist Regimes; Thomas W. Simons, Jr: Eastern Europe between the USSR and the West: Reflections on the Origins and Dynamics of the Cold War; Agnes Heller: Legitimation deficit and legitimation crisis in East European societies; John Connelly: The Paradox of East German Communism: From Non-Stalinism to Neo-Stalinism?; Antoni Z. Kaminski, Bartlomiej Kaminski: Road to “People’s Poland:” Stalin’s Conquest Revisited Chapter III: Stalinism and Historiography Janos Rainer: Revisiting Hungarian Stalinism; Bogdan Cristian Iacob: Avatars of the Romanian Academy and the Historical Front (1948 versus 1955); Ekaterina Nikova: Bulgarian Stalinism Revisited; Dorin Dobrincu: Historicizing a Disputed Theme: Anticommunist Armed Resistance in Romania Chapter IV: National or Revolutionary Breakthroughs? Bradley Abrams: Hope Died Last: The Czechoslovak Road to Stalinism; Cristian Vasile: Propaganda and Culture in Romania at the Beginning of the Communist Regime; Svetozar Stojanovic: Varieties of Stalinism in light of the Yugoslav case; Dragoş Petrescu: Community Building and Identity Politics in Gheorghiu-Dej’s Romania (1956-1964) Index

2009
452 pages
ISBN 978-963-9776-55-5 cloth $45.00 / €32.95 / £30.00
ISBN 978-963-9776-63-0 paperback $27.95 / €20.00 / £18.99