Description
Book SynopsisDevelops a theory of how exit-voice dynamics affect collective action in order to identify the processes that spurred the extraordinarily swift and surprisingly bloodless 1989 revolution within the German Democratic Republic. This work compares the East German rebellion with events occurring during the same period in other communist states.
Trade Review“
Exit-Voice Dynamics and the Collapse of East Germany is a highly original contribution to the study of Communism’s collapse and the role of collective action in political change. Its mixture of quantitative and qualitative evidence is unprecedented.”—Jeffrey Kopstein, author of
The Politics of Economic Decline in East Germany, 1945–1989“Steven Pfaff offers a bold sociological explanation of the collapse of Communism in East Germany. On the basis of detailed protest data, he explores the dynamics of ‘exit’ and ‘voice’ in eroding popular ‘loyalty’ to the Marxist dictatorship.”—Konrad H. Jarausch, editor of
Dictatorship as Experience: Towards a Socio-Cultural History of the GDR“With a simple yet incisive theoretical perspective, Steven Pfaff casts a bright light on the crisis of East German Communism, the ‘exiting crisis’ and popular rebellion of 1989, the marginalization of leftist activists, and the turn to nationalism and German reunification. This is the best theoretical analysis of the East German revolution that I have read. Pfaff’s model of exit-voice dynamics is also a major contribution to the literature on collective action and revolutions.”—Jeff Goodwin, author of
No Other Way Out: States and Revolutionary Movements, 1945–1991“[T]his is a fine study that breaks new empirical and theoretical grounds in political science. It shines illuminating light on the continuing problem of racial inequality. In a sharp manner, it raises the thorny question of whether political equality is possible without economic parity. This book shows that rhetorical tricks claiming colorblindness dry up like a raisin in the sun when confronted with historical and structural realities.” -- Jamie K. McCallum * Mobilization *
“This is an excellent study is several respects: it provides a very rich and vivid account of the German revolution. It sometimes reads like a suspenseful thriller. The mixture of statistical analysis and narrative evidence from a great variety of sources . . . is rarely found in literature. . . . My recommendation is: if you want to read a fascinating narrative of a unique revolution with a sound empirical and theoretical underpinning, then Steven Pfaff’s book is a ‘must’.” -- Karl-Dieter Opp * Social Forces *
Table of ContentsIllustrations ix
Preface and Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
1. Exit-Voice Dynamics and Collective Action 14
2. Blocked Voice, Demobilization, and the Crisis of East German Communism 31
3. No Exit: The Niche Society and the Limits of Coercive Surveillance 61
4.
Dona Nobis Pacem: Political Subcultures, the Church, and the Birth of Dissident Voice 81
5. Triggering Insurgent Voice: The Exiting Crisis and the Rebellion against Communism 107
6. Fight or Flight? A Statistical Evaluation of Exit-Voice Dynamics in the East German Revolution 142
7. Why Was There No “Chinese Solution” in the GDR? 165
8. Activists of the First Hour: New Forum and the Mobilization of Reformist Voice 190
9. Reunification as the Collective Exit from Socialism 224
Conclusion 254
Appendix: Quantitative Data and the Statistical Analysis of County-Level Exit and Voice Relationships 267
Notes 275
Bibliography 299
Index 325
