ABSTRACT
1. We had a brief word yesterday about the idea that we should devise ways of transferring ‘political know-how’ to Eastern Europe. By this I mean teaching the new generation of East European politicians to run parties, fight elections, operate Parliamentary procedures etc. Since we pride ourselves on having the Mother of Parliaments it seems to me that this is a natural British export. As was shown by the discussion in our seminar yesterday, there is an absence of political culture in Eastern Europe because the ruling parties have systematically destroyed alternative centres of power over the last 40 years. Several of the speakers seemed to think that we might have a useful role in trying to help East European politicians to fill this vacuum.
