ABSTRACT
The collapse of communism in East-Central Europe not only revolutionized the societies of the region, but also revolutionized international politics. For four decades the international political environment was dominated by the Cold War and the conflict between communism and capitalism. The biggest change was likely to be the diminished role of ideology in international politics. The postcommunist states of Europe were also scrambling to affiliate with Western Europe and its multilateral institutions. The political transition would also be slow and disruptive, and there was no guarantee that all of the postcommunist states would emerge as liberal democracies. Even in terms of culture, there were reasons to doubt Central Europe's identity with Western Europe, despite the arguments of Milan Kundera and others. The postcommunist states, especially Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary, were more anxious to join the European Community than any other multilateral institution.
