Abstract

Offers a comparative analysis of the democratic revolutions in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia, developing a theory of crisis management that accounts for the survival of the communist system over several decades and for its eventual failure. Analyzes the social structure of Soviet systems in relation to debates in sociological theory over legitimation, social integration, social movements, and modernity, and demonstrates how political conflicts are related to economic transformation. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.