ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted to two issues of class formation. The first issue pertains to the disintegration of the most typical elements of an ‘old,’ communist structure and the integration of the most typical elements of a ‘new’, emerging social structure. The second issue of class formation pertains to mental state. The chapter focuses on the nomenclature stratum and on an emerging business stratum. In particular, the analysis will link both strata, demonstrating to what extent persons from the nomenclature stratum have been able to convert their political assets and become part of the new privileged business class. The chapter analyses the extent to which communist party membership in the pre-1989 period affects entrepreneurial activity in a market economy. It shows that class structure generates social inequalities and differentiated interests under conditions of radical social change. The chapter utilizes use various surveys on social structure and mobility conducted in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
