Reinventing Politics

Using primary materials from Eastern European democratic movements, Tismaneanu shows how dissident enclaves, grassroots political groups, independent unions and underground initiatives spearheaded the spontaneous outbursts of discontent that led to the nonviolent collapse of communist dictatorshipsIn an illuminating, exciting comparative analysis of the breakup of the Soviet Union's outer empire, Tismaneanu identifies bureaucratic inertia, renascent authoritarian tendencies and the lure of populist adventurers as key obstacles to democracy. Publishers Weekly