Is corruption an enemy of civil society? The case of Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

In examining post-communist countries, it becomes apparent that civil society is durable in certain countries and fragile in others. One then asks: What factors contribute to this condition? Many of the theorists in the post-communist literature argue that socioeconomic factors and the communist legacy have weakened post-communist civil society. The article explores the following question: Has corruption replaced the legacy of communism as a factor undermining trust in others and government? The theory proposed in this article implies a break from previous studies on the weakness of post-communist civil society, arguing that corruption has been a major factor in undermining civil society in the region. The article presents a rigorous examination of the association between corruption and post-communist civil society by focusing on the impact of political corruption on trust and, hence, post-communist civil society.