1989 - The Final Stage

Two decades after the fall of Communist rule, the events of1989 still fascinate historians, social and political scientists.Many point out that 1989 has become a symbolic date for Europe. Onthe occasion of the accession of the new member states to theEuropean Union, which had known Communist dictatorship, manypoliticians stressed that 1989 marked the beginning of the processwhich completed on 1st May 2004. This book analyses the transfer ofpower away from Communist governments in two countries of theformer Soviet bloc. The core of this work is focused on thedissolution of Communist rule in Poland and Czechoslovakia in 1989and on the background of these events. This project draws onrecently released materials in Warsaw and Prague archives whichallow us to focus attention on the negotiation process in Polandand the rapid dissolution of Communist regime in Czechoslovakia.The book draws on historical material but also on theoreticalliterature on transition from the field of political science. Theauthor hopes that this work will be useful not only for the expertsin the field, students and researchers but also anyone interestedin the recent history of Europe.