ABSTRACT
Ukraine is important to the West largely because it is seen as the "keystone in the arch" of security in Central Europe. Ukraine's lackluster political and economic performance raises two questions: First, why has reform proceeded so slowly, after the euphoria and optimism that accompanied the Soviet collapse? Second, what possibility is there for reform to be more successful—or to be reversed—in the future? Ukraine's transformation is not occurring in isolation. Some states in Latin America have required democratic transitions and others in Eastern Europe have required both democratic and economic transitions, Ukraine must undergo a "quadruple" transition, including not only democratization and marketization but also nation building and state building. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. It addresses politics more broadly by examining the process of democratization and state-society relations.
