Europe Since 1989 - A History

Philipp Ther- a firsthand witness to many of the transformations, from Czechoslovakia during the Velvet Revolution to postcommunist Poland and Ukraine- offers a sweeping narrative filled with vivid details and memorable stories. He describes how liberalization, deregulation, and privatization had catastrophic effects on former Soviet Bloc countries. He refutes the idea that this economic "shock therapy" was the basis of later growth, arguing that human capital and the transformation from below determined economic success or failure. Most important, he shows how the capitalist West's effort to reshape Eastern Europe in its own likeness ended up reshaping Western Europe as well, in part by accelerating the pace and scope of neoliberal reforms in the West, particularly in reunified Germany. Finally, bringing the story up to the present, Ther compares events in Eastern and Southern Europe leading up to and following the 2008-9 global financial crisis.

About the author

Philipp Ther is professor of Central European history and director of the Institute of European History at the University of Vienna.

Summary

This book describes how liberalization, deregulation, and privatization had catastrophic effects on former Soviet Bloc countries from the period of 1989 to the present.

Additional text

"Finalist for the 2017 Prix du Livre Européen, Esprit d’Europe"

Product details

• Authors: Philip Ther, Philipp Ther, Ther Philipp
• Assisted by: Charlotte Hughes-Kreutzmuller (Translation), Charlotte Hughes-Kreutzmüller (Translation)
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 14.08.2018
• EAN: 9780691181134
• ISBN: 978-0-691-18113-4
• No. of pages: 448
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000, Europe, European History, HISTORY / Europe / General, 21st Century, 21st century history: from c 2000 -, 21st century, c 2000 to c 2100, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, c 1990 to c 2000, c 1990 to c 1999