The Rise And Fall Of State Socialism

In this major new work, David Lane provides a wide-ranging re-evaluation of socialism as an ideology and a political movement. He addresses the nature of the socialist tradition and puts into perspective the 'socialist project' inaugurated by the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. He also examines the rise of Marxist-Leninist states, arguing that Marxism-Leninism became a doctrine of development with a practical political appeal to economically backward states. The first part of the book outlines the 'World of the Comrades' characteristic of the world communist movement. Here, developments in Eastern Europe, the USSR and China are compared. The major achievements of state socialism are outlined. But so too are its deficiencies, which led to disenchantment and reform. Part II, 'Denouement', addresses the tensions of state socialism in the context of world capitalism. The internal and external sources of change leading to collapse - the rise of the intelligentsia, economic decline, ideological decay and international pressures are analysed and evaluated. The reforming strategies adopted in Eastern Europe, the USSR and China are compared and discussed. Theories of state socialism are examined, both long-term causes and precipitants of change are considered and, to explain collapse, the author emphasizes the conflict between the 'political' and 'acquisition' classes. This book, by one of the leading authorities in the field, provides a clear and comprehensive account of the achievements and deficiencies of state socialism and the reasons why it failed to establish itself as a viable alternative to capitalism. It will be essential reading for courses on industrial societies, development, socialist theory and Marxism, social stratification and social change, as well as on those focusing on post-communism.

In this major new work, David Lane provides a wide-ranging re-evaluation of socialism as an ideology and a political movement. He addresses the nature of the socialist tradition and puts into perspective the 'socialist project' inaugurated by the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. He also examines the rise of Marxist-Leninist states, arguing that Marxism-Leninism became a doctrine of development with a practical political appeal to economically backward states. The first part of the book outlines the 'World of the Comrades' characteristic of the world communist movement. Here, developments in Eastern Europe, the USSR and China are compared. The major achievements of state socialism are outlined. But so too are its deficiencies, which led to disenchantment and reform. Part II, 'Denouement', addresses the tensions of state socialism in the context of world capitalism. The internal and external sources of change leading to collapse - the rise of the intelligentsia, economic decline, ideological decay and international pressures are analysed and evaluated. The reforming strategies adopted in Eastern Europe, the USSR and China are compared and discussed. Theories of state socialism are examined, both long-term causes and precipitants of change are considered and, to explain collapse, the author emphasizes the conflict between the 'political' and 'acquisition' classes. This book, by one of the leading authorities in the field, provides a clear and comprehensive account of the achievements and deficiencies of state socialism and the reasons why it failed to establish itself as a viable alternative to capitalism. It will be essential reading for courses on industrial societies, development, socialist theory and Marxism, social stratification and social change, as well as on those focusing on post-communism.

"The search for the Promised Land took socialists in diverse directions: revolution, communes and kibbutzim, social democracy, communism, fascism, Third Worldism. But none of these paths led to the prophesied utopia. Nowhere did socialists succeed in creating societies of easy abundance or in midwifing the birth of a "New Man," as their theory promised. Some socialist governments abandoned their grandiose goals and satisfied themselves with making slight modifications to capitalism, while others plowed ahead doggedly, often inducing staggering human catastrophes. Then, after two hundred years of wishful thinking and fitful governance, socialism suddenly imploded in the 1990s in a fin du siecle drama of falling walls, collapsing regimes and frantic revisions of doctrine."--BOOK JACKET.

David Lane outlines succinctly yet comprehensively the development and transformation of state socialism. While focussing on Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe, he also engages in a discussion of the Chinese path. In response to the changing social structure and external demands, he outlines different scenarios of reform. He contends that European state socialism did not collapse but was consciously dismantled. He brings out the West’s decisive support of the reform process and Gorbachev’s significant role in tipping the balance of political forces in favour of an emergent ascendant class. In the post-socialist period, he details developments in the economy and politics. He distinguishes different political and economic trajectories of countries of the former USSR, the New Member States of the European Union, and China; and he notes the attempts to promote further change through ‘coloured’ revolutions. The book provides a detailed account not only of the unequal impact of transformation on social inequality which has given rise to a privileged business and political class, but also how far the changes have fulfilled the promise of democracy promotion, wealth creation and human development. Finally, in the context of globalisation, the author considers possible future political and economic developments for Russia and China. Throughout the author, a leading expert in the field, brings to bear his deep knowledge of socialist countries, draws on his research on the former Soviet Union, and visits to nearly all the former state socialist countries, including China.

The revolutions in Eastern Europe and the recasting of socialism in Western Europe since 1989 have given rise to intense debate over the origins, character, and implications of the "crisis" of socialism. Is socialism in ideological, electoral, or organizational decline? Is the decline inevitable or can socialism be revitalized? This volume draws together historians and political scientists of Eastern and Western European politics to address these questions. The collection begins with an historical overview of socialism in Western Europe and moves toward the suggestion of a framework for a post-socialist discourse. Among the topics covered are: the birth and death of communism and a regime type in Eastern Europe; how different forms of national communism were smothered by Sovietization in the postwar period; the origins of revolutions in Eastern Europe; the potential for social democracy in Hungary; the role of the Left in a reunified German; and directions for the Left in general. Contributors. Geoff Eley, Konrad Jarausch, Herbert Kitschelt, Christiane Lemke, Andrei Markovits, Gary Marks, Wolfgang Merkel, Norman Naimark, Iván and Szonja Szelénya, Sharon Wolchik

The year 2011 marks the twentieth anniversary of the end of the Soviet Union. This may be an appropriate time to evaluate the adoption by previously state socialist societies of other economic and political models. The transition has sometimes been described in positive terms, as a movement to free societies with open markets and democratic elections. Others have argued that the transition has created weak, poverty-stricken states with undeveloped civil societies ruled by unresponsive political elites. Which is the more accurate assessment?David Lane examines a few of the theoretical approaches that help explain the trajectory of change from socialism to capitalism. He focuses on two main approaches in this volume - elite theories and social class. Theories dwelling on the role of elites regard the transformation from socialism to capitalism as a type of system transfer in which elites craft democratic and market institutions into the space left by state socialism. Lane contrasts this interpretation with class-based theories, which consider transformation in terms of revolution, and explain why such theories have not been considered the best way of framing the transition in the post-socialist states.While recognizing that elites can play important roles and have the capacity to transform societies, Lane contends that elite theories alone are inadequate to explain a system change that brings free markets. In contrast, he proposes a class approach in which two groups characterize state socialism: an administrative class and an acquisition class.

Does the abrupt collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe arise only from errors in implementing the policy of state socialism, leaving the concept itself still a potentially valid one? Bartlomiej Kaminski argues to the contrary: state socialism is a fundamentally defective idea that was well carried out, enabling it to exist until its accumulated shortcomings made its survival extremely difficult. How did the flawed state-socialist system endure for so long? Why is it failing now? In answering these questions, Kaminski, who is both an economist and a political analyst, proposes a general theory and then applies it to the case of Poland. Contending that the breakdown of state socialism results from symbiosis of the state and the economy, the book describes how communist governments searched for tools that would replace the market mechanism and the rule of law. Doomed in advance by the absence of autonomy and competition, this search generated new crises by undermining the state's capacity to suppress individual interests and to direct the economy. Originally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.