RESTRICTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF DEMOCRA TIC CONSOLIDATION IN POSTCOMMUNIST SOCIETIES - A COMPARISON OF COUNTRIES IN EAST-CENTRAL-EUROPE

The democratic consolidation of the young democracies in East-Central Europe is facing problems, which distinquishes it from the transitions to and consolidation of democracy in Southern Europe and Latin Americ a. The structural heritage in economy, (civil)society and state pose s evere constraints to the action of political elites. Moreover, the roo m of manouvre is further constrained by the problematic interdependenc ies of the simultaneous economic, social and political transformation in these countries. The success of democratic consolidation in East-Ce ntral Europe will largely depend on the interacting action and behavio ur of the political elites and the population under the restrictive ci rcumstances. The democratic consolidation will last longer than in Sou thern Europe of the 1970s. With regard to the structural constraints a s well as the configuration of political actors and the political cult ure. Hungary and the Chech Republic dispose of considerably better cha nces than the young democracies of Poland and Slovakia.