Political systems in Eastern Europe 1917-1989

Ιn the context of this course, students are guided to understand the historical evolution of Eastern Europe countries and ex-USSR since the communist takeover. The main goal fo the course is the presentation and the analysis of the main characteristics of the communist regimes. During the courses there is a special focus on the history, the ideology and the structure of the communist political systems. In the end there is an approach on the period of the fall of communism and the democratic transition.

Objectives

not available

Prerequisites

not available

Syllabus

-Introduction. The ideological roots of communism. -Russia from the October Revolution to Stalin. -Stalinism and the concept of totalitarianism. -How Russia was govern: the role of the party, the constitution and Public Administration -The expansion of communism in post war Europe. -The communism in the Balkans. -Communism as an international system -The first crisis of communism: Poland and Hungary 1956 -Reforms and reformists in USSR: N. Khrushchev - The seond crisis : Czechoslovakia 1968/ -Perestroika and Glasnost -The end of communism and the transition to Democracy.