Designing Democracy

What has been the impact of the democratic conditionality of the European Union on the democratic consolidation processes in the Central and Eastern European countries seeking admission? Pridham (European politics, Bristol U., UK) looks for an answer to that question in an analysis that relies especially on interviews with economic and political elites in the candidate countries. He considers patterns and problems of domestic elite motivations in the context of EU enlargement; discusses processes of institutional adjustment and policy reorientation as they relate to the implementation of the EU's political conditions; examines the roles of political parties, opinion makers, and other intermediary actors; and addresses the relationship between economic transformation, civil society, ethnic minorities, and other socio-economic factors on democratization in the candidate countries. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR