This important book analyzes recent events in Eastern Europe and Latin America, focusing on transitions to democracy and market-oriented economic reforms. The author underscores the interdependence of political and economic transformations and draws extensive local data for his analysis.

Introduction; A prologue: the fall of communism; 1. Democracy; 2. Transitions to democracy; 3. Capitalism and socialism; 4. The political dynamics of economic reform; References; Author index; Subject index.