ABSTRACT
That nationalism and democracy form a close but complicated relationship is a truism whose significance was nevertheless brought into a sharp focus in postcommunist transitions in Eastern Central Europe. Postcommunism is associated with a rapid economic and social transformation, based on the premise of democracy, human rights and European integration. The systemic change which produced the transformation of the political, social and economic spheres has also produced a need for a deeper legitimacy than a new political order. Postcommunist nationalism is linked to democracy in an almost old-fashioned 'revolutionary' way, similar to the year 1848, which is a paradox, considering the often used adjective 'new'. Slovakia, on the other hand illustrated the accumulation of negative conditions for the process of democratisation: injured and halted nation-building prior to communism leading to fascist regime during Second World War, the pitfalls of the communist modernisation and ultimately a sudden democratisation bestowed on the nation unprepared for it and undecided about its future direction.
