Description
Book SynopsisPost-Communist Democratisation in Lithuania: Elites, Parties, and Youth Political Organisations. 1988 – 2001 explains post-communist changes in Lithuania. The transformation of political party system, political elites and youth political organisations in Lithuania are examined in light of democratisation in other post-communist countries. By linking theories of democratisation and elites to actual events, the book provides an analytical framework for interpreting political regime change and development in Lithuania. The book is based on five assumptions: (1) democratisation in Lithuania belongs to a ‘Western type’ of democratic development; (2) elites and nationalism were the major forces in modernisation; (3) Lithuanian elites have used the favourable conditions of perestroika and were the major actors in regime transformation; (4) the crop of political elites in Lithuania undergoes a generational change, and youth political organisations are very important in this process as they serve as schools for future politicians; and (5) class theory is less useful than elite theory when analysing the process of democratisation in Lithuania.
Table of ContentsList of Tables List of Figures Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction Theorising the Post-Communist Democratisation: The Role of Political Elites A Few Remarks on Theories of Democratisation Theories of Elites and the Analysis of Post-Communist Democratisation The Role of Political Parties The New Political Scene in Lithuania The Development of the Political Party System Regime Legitimacy The Transformation of Political Elites Rising New Elites: A Case of Youth Political Organisations The Methodology of the Research The Origin of Youth Political Organisations The Relationship with “The Mother Parties” Goals and Functions of Youth Political Organisations The Procedure of Joining the Organisations Reasons for Joining the Organisations Some Structural Features of Youth Political Organisations Opinions on Internal Functioning of Youth Political Organisations Opinions of Selected Political Matters Some Concluding Remarks: Differences and Similarities Conclusions Notes References Appendix 1. The Content of the Questionnaires Appendix 2. Description of the Respondents Appendix 3. Summarised Data from a Survey of the Members of Youth Political Organisations Appendix 4. Summarised Data of a Survey of Members of the Lithuanian Parliament in 1996-2000 About the Author
