Similarity in Establishment: Soviet Influence and Post-War Aspirations (Prompt 1)

In the aftermath of World War II, the war-torn Eastern European countries find themselves in utter ruins. For the USSR, this presented a rare opportunity for them to use its sheer economic size to assert and extend its influence in the Eastern European bloc by “helping” them establish their own communist regimes- a puppet government under complete Soviet control. This process, however, was not just a forceful imposition by the Soviets but was also a largely collective effort of the people in these European countries in their desperation to restore normal social order and their utter desire to preserve this long-awaited post-war societal stability. In our reading ” Ambiguous Transitions Ch3,” on page 142, the author highlighted this very specific importance for the post-war establishments to prioritize creating jobs as it is not just for economic modernization that people desperately need but also for the legitimization of the communist and socialist regimes and their promise to bring modernization and prosperity, the like of which comparable to the Western bloc (Massino, 2009, p. 142). This, quite frankly, set the stage for the widespread establishment of communist governance across both the Eastern Central European countries and Yugoslavia.

Similarity in Collapse: Economic Failures and Social Dissatisfaction (Prompt 1)

The eventual collapse of communist regimes, on the other hand, across both East Central Europe and Yugoslavia can’t really be attributed to a singular event but more of a mix of economic stagnation and burgeoning public dissent. The failure of communist economies to assimilate into the wider global economy that is ever-shifting towards globalization led to the degradation of living standards among the citizenry of these Soviet bloc countries. In combination with the lack of opportunities and the continued isolationist policies fueled by primarily ideological intolerance, led to widespread dissatisfaction and public dissent. In our reading “Postcommunist Welfare States,” on page 39, the author mentioned that although the welfare expenditures among these communist states usually exceeded 14 percent of their total GDP, they are, nevertheless, still significantly below the average of other Western bloc countries and that the author continued on in page 40 to conclude that the communist welfare state as “premature” signifying and notating that massive welfare expenditures are not at all sustainable for the long term because their economies are too weak to support them (Cook, 2007, pp. 39-40).

Difference in Establishment: Yugoslavia’s Path of Independence (Prompt 1)

Yugoslavia’s distinct approach to communism, characterized by its early divergence from Soviet influence, was a product of both geopolitical strategy and internal vision primarily influenced by the then-leader. Tito’s non-aligned stance. It emerged not only as a diplomatic maneuver in the Cold War era but also as a commitment to develop a unique type of socialism that permitted greater national autonomy in its internal affairs and economic flexibility that focused on tackling domestic economic hardships. This approach, although not unique, is strikingly similar to the path on which Communist China has been working following its infamous 1989 Tiananmen Square protest event. In our reading, “Breaking the South Slav Dream,” on page 48, the author mentioned this specific idea of Tito’s approach to Non-Alignment and Self-Management governing styles that focus on collaborations. This move significantly bolstered his support among non-Soviet bloc states and won him international standings and room for dialogue among countries for collaboration instead of resorting to Soviet-style isolationist policies (Hudson, 2003, p. 48).

Difference in Collapse: The Role of Nationalism and Ethnic Divisions (Prompt 1)

The uniqueness of Yugoslavia’s collapse, though, was profoundly influenced by its social, economic, and political structure and, most importantly, its internal complications of ethnic identity tensions, similar to that of certain Turkish groups in modern days. The rise of nationalism and ethnic tensions, fueled by economic disparities and political decentralization, led to a violent disintegration, drawing a stark contrast with the relatively peaceful transitions in East Central European countries. In the same reading, on page 50, Hudson, the author, mentions explicitly that under Yugoslavia’s constitution, it is comprised of multiple national ethnic groups. On page 53, the author further mentions that the decentralization policies led by Tito caused this ethnic tension to grow stronger, which later became, and I quote, “…detriment of a Yugoslav identity and national cohesion…,” thus leading to its eventual collapse and demise (Hudson, 2003, pp. 50-53).

Economic Restructuring and Privatization (Prompt 2)

One of the biggest challenges faced by countries transitioning from communism to a market economy is their ability to adapt to the process of economic restructuring without compromising their ruling legitimacy, particularly from collectivization and state-owned companies to privatization. This transition is incredibly difficult to grapple with because it includes the ratification of effective legal and regulatory frameworks guaranteeing a level playing field, which more often than not compromises each of the ruling elite or family’s respective vested interests. This would also include a fierce crackdown on political corruption, which is not an easy thing to do without the full control of the state apparatus. Additionally, managing the social fallout from the short-term increase in unemployment and inequality from the shock therapies would also lead to public backlash, thus leading to a questioning of its ruling legitimacy. This, quite frankly, is incredibly evident in the events leading up to the collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Nevertheless, in our reading, “Privatization,” on page 191, Stokes highlights exactly this very concept by emphasizing that in order to convert state-owned enterprises into privatized corporations, it would require the newly formed legislative body to draft up laws guaranteeing commercial banking safety, property rights, and commercial laws (Stokes, 1997, p. 191). And most important of all, establishing a functioning capital market that is free from governmental manipulation, a very symbolic and prevalent nature that is not existent in Communist countries.

Managing Ethnic Tensions, Nationalism, and Past Injustices (Prompt 2-3)

In addition to economic challenges, the transition to market democracy in Yugoslavia, as we have discussed earlier, was profoundly affected by ethnic tensions and nationalism. While the idea of nationalism is not inherently bad in nature, the disintegration of Yugoslavia into separate nation-states was marked by violent conflicts fueled by the very nature of ethnic nationalism, which created a significant risk to political stability and could often stagnate economic development. A good example of this, quite frankly, is Post World War II Germany and how a national embarrassment of one person, the then German Chancellor Willy Brandt, kneeled in front of the Warsaw Ghetto in remembrance and repented for the entire German people for the atrocities that they have committed towards the Jewish people during the Holocaust and thereby winning respect from the international communities, thus paving them to, once again, becoming a prominent leader in the European Union, that is, both economically, and politically. This is a stark contrast to what Subotic, the author, mentioned in our reading “Yellow Star, Red Star,” on page 206, of how Poland, instead, passed a law that prohibited the discussion of Polish death camps during the Holocaust (Subotic, 2019, p. 206). Drawing a stark contrast between the two countries of how to repent and learning from the past could redeem yourself politically and economically, this does not just apply to Nazi Germany but also to the atrocities that these political elites committed during the Soviet’s ideological “occupation” of these Satellite states.

Learning from Mistakes (Prompt 3)

Learning from the past would require us to foster a culture of learning from history by instilling in the younger generation the importance of not repeating the mistakes of the past. These measures would involve revoking some of the legislation that aimed to prohibit the discussion of historical wrongs. And through that, Polish youth will have the opportunity to learn from history circulars that are free from the poisons of politics. With these enactments, Poland and the Polish people would undoubtedly secure a legacy of fostering a tradition of upholding its national integrity that resonates both domestically and globally.

References

Cook, L. J. (2007). Postcommunist Welfare States: Reform Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. Cornell University Press.

Hudson, M. (2003). Breaking the South Slav Dream: The Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia. Pluto Press.

Massino, J. (2009). Ambiguous Transitions: Gender, the State, and Everyday Life in Socialist and Postsocialist Romania. Cornell University Press.

Stokes, G. (1997). Privatization in Eastern Europe: The Case of Poland. Brookfield: Dartmouth Publishing Company.

Subotic, J. (2019). Yellow Star, Red Star: Holocaust Remembrance after Communism. Cornell University Press.