From East Germans to Germans? : The New Postcommunist Elites

1990年，德國發起了一項試驗，將民主移植到一個前共產主義國家，有效地拆除了德意志民主共和國的制度，並以民主的德意志聯邦共和國形式重建民主共和國。從東德人到德國人？考察了第一代民主選舉產生的政治菁英在前民主德國向民主過渡中的作用。雖然由西德的財政支持和專業知識支持的現成民主制度快速移植提供了好處，但後共產主義政治領導的發展和民主制度的大規模支持增長也產生了問題。

儘管西德角色模型的可用性以及整合的壓力使得解除社區的過程比東歐其他地方發生得更快，但東西方之間的文化差異比以前假設的更為廣泛和復雜。在統一之後，重新振興了區域利益。 Yoder展示了一些政治菁英如何採用西德模式，而另一些公開批評了源自Bonn的許多實踐和政策，並將自己視為民主選擇，並倡導東德在新德國的利益。

事實上，對於許多東德人來說，這些新地區菁英被視為他們在西方主導的政治體系中唯一的利益代表。提供對過渡時期菁英建設的深刻見解，以及對傳統政治變革分析中發現的“制度與文化”辯論有價值的替代方案，本書將引起政治學家以及歐洲政治和德國研究學者的興趣。

In 1990 Germany launched an experiment to transplant democracy into a formerly communist country, effectively dismantling the system of the German Democratic Republic and rebuilding it in the likeness of the democratic Federal Republic of Germany. From East Germans to Germans? examines the role of the first generation of democratically elected political elites in the former GDR's transition to democracy. Although the quick transplant of a ready-made democratic system supported by West German financial backing and expertise provided benefits, problems arose for the development of postcommunist political leadership and for the growth of mass support for the democratic system.

Jennifer A. Yoder analyzes the implications of the transition process for democratic legitimation and integration. Based on field research in East Germany that included interviews with parliamentarians, her study addresses issues such as culture, identity, and the lack of continuity between the old and new political elites.

Although the availability of West German role models, together with pressure to conform, allowed the process of decommunization to occur much faster than elsewhere in Eastern Europe, the cultural differences between east and west are more extensive and complex than previously assumed. Unification has also been followed by a reinvigoration of regional interests. Yoder shows how some political elites have adopted western German patterns, while others openly criticize many of the practices and policies originating in Bonn and present themselves as democratic alternatives and advocates for East German interests in the new Germany.

Indeed, for many East Germans, these new regional elites are regarded as the only representatives of their interests in the western-dominated political system. Providing insight into elite-building at a time of transition and a valuable alternative to the "institutions versus culture" debate found in traditional analyses of political change, this book will interest political scientists and students and scholars of European politics and German studies.

  Jennifer A. Yoder  (Autor)

Publisher:Duke University Press Books 

ISBN:    978-0822323723 

原價   US 18.95 台幣價 NT$760