Description
Book SynopsisKristen Ghodsee and Mitchell A. Orenstein blend empirical data with lived experiences to produce a robust picture of who won and who lost in post-communist transition, contextualizing the rise of populism in Eastern Europe. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, more than 400 million people suddenly found themselves in a new reality, a dramatic transition from state socialist and centrally planned workers'' states to liberal democracy (in most cases) and free markets. Thirty years later, postsocialist citizens remain sharply divided on the legacies of transition. Was it a success that produced great progress after a short recession, or a socio-economic catastrophe foisted on the East by Western capitalists? Taking Stock of Shock aims to uncover the truth using a unique, interdisciplinary investigation into the social consequences of transitionincluding the rise of authoritarian populism and xenophobia. Showing that economic, demographic, sociological, political scientific, and ethnographic research produce contradictory results based on different disciplinary methods and data, Kristen Ghodsee and Mitchell Orenstein triangulate the results. They find that both the J-curve model, which anticipates sustained growth after a sharp downturn, and the disaster capitalism perspective, which posits that neoliberalism led to devastating outcomes, have significant basis in fact. While substantial percentages of the populations across a variety of postsocialist countries enjoyed remarkable success, prosperity, and progress, many others suffered an unprecedented socio-economic catastrophe. Ghodsee and Orenstein conclude that the promise of transition still remains elusive for many and offer policy ideas for overcoming negative social and political consequences.
Trade ReviewLaudable * Anders Åslund, Europe-Asia Studies *
Ghodsee has teamed up with political scientist Mitchell Orenstein to present a comprehensive survey of all the evidence that things have gotten worse for Eastern Europe since 1989 * Helen Andrews, The American Conservative, The American Conservative *
Taking Stock of Shock results from a massive interdisciplinary endeavor, and it is a timely and crucial contribution to the debate on postsocialism. Knocking down disciplinary walls, Ghodsee and Orenstein provide a uniquely broad insight into the post-socialist landscape. This is more than merely a scholarly achievement. Building a compelling new narrative is crucial to help break down the walls of inequality and precarity that limit the actual exercise of the freedoms post-socialist citizens nominally gained when the Berlin Wall fell. * Gabor Scheiring, Review of Democracy, Review of Democracy *
Ghodsee and Orenstein have written a provocative book. Drawing on an impressive array of economic, demographic, public opinion, and ethnographic data, they critically analyze the emergence of stark inequalities that have generated tremendous hardships for many and enormous benefits for some. * Gail Kligman, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, UCLA *
From a starting point of cacophony, where different disciplines and data seem to depict the post-Soviet transition as either a grand success or an absolute failure, Ghodsee and Orenstein seam together a convincing narrative where both achievements and disappointments can coexist. The book's focus on widening inequality allows reconciling these opposing views and providing crucial insights not only for scholars of transition countries but also for observers and policymakers in other regions * Maurizio Bussolo, Lead Economist, World Bank *
The book presents many important pieces of evidence which, taken together, document the developments and the images of transformation that have led to the disillusionment of the majority of the population in the region today. It is therefore not only a valuable contribution to the transformation discussion across different academic fields but also has an appeal for general audiences. * Luboš Studený, Historie-Otázky-Problémy *
Table of ContentsList of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgments Authors' Note on Terminology Introduction: Transition from Communism - Qualified Success or Utter Catastrophe? Part One: The Economic Evidence Chapter One: The Plan for a J-Curve Transition Chapter Two: Plan Meets Reality Chapter Three: Modifying the Framework Chapter Four: Counter-Narratives of Catastrophe Part Two: The Demographic Evidence Chapter Five: Where Have All the People Gone? Chapter Six: The Mortality Crisis Chapter Seven: Collapse in Fertility Chapter Eight: Outmigration Crisis Part Three: The Public Opinion Evidence Chapter Nine: Disappointment with Transition Chapter Ten: Public Opinion of Winners and Losers Chapter Eleven: Evaluations Shift Over Time Chapter Twelve: Towards a New Social Contract? Part Four: The Ethnographic Evidence Chapter Thirteen: Portraits of Desperation Chapter Fourteen: Resistance is Futile Chapter Fifteen: Return to the Past Chapter Sixteen: The Patriotism of Despair Conclusion: Towards an Inclusive Prosperity Appendix: Data Sources Selected Bibliography
