Rebellious Civil Society - 9780472088300

Rebellious Civil SocietyPopular Protest and Democratic Consolidation in Poland, 1989-1993\nAuthor(s): Grzegorz Ekiert, Jan Kubik\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: The University of Michigan Press, United States\nImprint: The University of Michigan Press\nISBN-13: 9780472088300, 978-0472088300\nSynopsis\nPoland is the only country in which popular protest and mass opposition, epitomized by the Solidarity movement, played a significant role in bringing down the communist regime. This book, the first comprehensive study of the politics of protest in postcommunist Central Europe, shows that organized protests not only continued under the new regime but also had a powerful impact on Poland's democratic consolidation. Following the collapse of communism in 1989, the countries of Eastern Europe embarked on the gargantuan project of restructuring their social, political, economic, and cultural institutions. The social cost of these transformations was high, and citizens expressed their disconte.