IN THE SEARCH FOR A POSTCOMMUNIST SYNDROME - A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND EMPIRICAL-ASSESSMENT

A pattern of attitudes and behaviours in the recently freed, post-comm unist countries is hypothesized as a post-communist syndrome. This stu dy describes the syndrome and its aetiology. The syndrome is viewed as a direct result of long-lasting, oppressive rule and suggests a host of individual and social disorders: learned helplessness, specific man ifestations of immorality/incivility, lack of civic culture and civic virtues. Using Q-factor analysis of 'civic culture' in a sample of Cze ch, Hungarian and American students it was found that contrary to the hypothesis, the Czech respondents exhibited a robust civic culture. (( C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)