A Comparative Perspective on the Leninist Legacy in Eastern Europe

Abstract

This study begins with a comparison between post-Communist and other postauthoritarian party systems, demonstrating the greater importance of new parties in the formerly Leninist systems. It then discusses the effect on new parties of the weakness of prior interest group organization and sudden, as opposed to incremental, increases in political participation. The third section focuses on the institutional consequences of the differences noted in the first and second sections. It demonstrates the strong relationship between the interests of leaders of new parties and the kinds of democratic institutions created during transitions from authoritarianism. The study concludes with some speculations about the probable longer term effects of the distinctive features of the Leninist legacy.