ABSTRACT
Under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu a particular type of Communism developed in Romania, which also found its reflection in the press. Until the collapse of the system in 1989/90, few other Eastern European states had twisted the truth to such an extent, and the art of misinformation was skillfully practiced. Since the Romanian revolution in 1989 many statements have been made about the so-called “Romanian exception”, the “Romanian paradox”, or the “Romanian authoritarianism”. Samuel Huntington for example, analyzing the opportunities for democratic consolidation in various parts of the world, concluded: “Finally, Sudan and Romania seemed especially deficient in the conditions that might support the maintenance of democracy”. During Nicolae Ceausescu’s reign the Romanian press had the sole task of praising the “Conductator’s” strength and wisdom. Swarms of journalists and writers in the role of court-poets were constantly producing new hymns of praise. Any difficulties encountered by the Romanians during the last decades of the dictatorship were silenced.
