ABSTRACT
Societal transformation in the former socialist countries of Eastern and Central Europe has entered its seventh year. It has also been seven years since the processes of the transformation in this region became a major focus of interest in the social sciences. The first generation of comments and analyses brought many relevant ideas, mostly of a general character, on the nature, problems and potential future course of transformation. They were inspired by perceptive observation, theoretical reflections and sometimes by analogy with the earlier democratic transitions in Latin America and the Southern European countries (Ash 1990; Dahrendorf 1990; Habermas 1990; Musil 1992; Offe 1991; Sztompka 1992; Staniszkis 1991; Stark 1992).
