A fascinating insight into political life after the collapse of communism and the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s.
For Communist parties and their successors (CSPs), the challenge was perhaps the greatest - to redefine themselves within new, 'westernized' political systems. As these parties sought to adapt their programmatic appeals to their new environments, they searched for policies from abroad that could fit these new political structures.
The political parties of Western Europe provided a rich range of programs from which policies could be drawn. This book analyzes how, to what extent and under what conditions external influences came to bear on the programmatic development of CSPs. It argues that while some parties remain neo-communist in orientation, growling about the evils of capitalism on the far-left of their respective political systems, others have developed into social democratic actors, embracing programmatic ideals that often bear a strong resemblance to those of center-left actors in Western Europe.
This book was previously published as a special issue of "The" "Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics."

The Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), successor to the East German Communist party, has long outlasted the state that spawned and nourished it. It now flourishes in Berlin and the territories of the old GDR, confounding the conventional political in Germany and the rest of the West. This is the first scholarly examination of the party's unexpected success as a regional party, as well as a left-wing party of protest and reform. It is a unique study of the PDS's structure, strategy and support, and of its present and future status in German politics.

This is the first book in either English or German to analyse the development of Germany's newest political party, the Left Party. It compares and contrasts the party's development with that of Germany's most well-known outsider party - the Greens. It also analyses the party's performance in office in two eastern German Lander. Finally, the book also puts the merger between the PDS and the WASG under the microscope before speculating on the party's future prospects.

This is the first book in either English or German to analyse the development of Germany's newest political party, the Left Party. It compares and contrasts the party's development with that of Germany's most well-known outsider party - the Greens. It also analyses the party's performance in office in two eastern German Lander.

Corruption takes many different forms and the systems that enable it are complex and challenging. To best understand corruption, one needs to examine how it operates in practice. Understanding Corruption tells the story of how corruption happens in the real world, illustrated through detailed case studies of the many different types of corruption that span the globe. Each case study follows a tried and tested analytical approach that provides key insights into the workings of corruption and the measures best used to tackle it. The case studies examined include examples of corporate bribery, political corruption, facilitation payments, cronyism, state capture, kleptocracy, asset recovery, offshore secrecy, reputation laundering and unexplained wealth, and actors include businesses, governments, politicians, governing bodies and public servants.

Corruption takes many different forms and the systems that enable it are complex and challenging. To best understand corruption, one needs to examine how it operates in practice. Understanding Corruption tells the story of how corruption happens in the real world, illustrated through detailed case studies of the many different types of corruption that span the globe. Each case study follows a tried and tested analytical approach that provides key insights into the workings of corruption and the measures best used to tackle it. The case studies examined include examples of corporate bribery, political corruption, facilitation payments, cronyism, state capture, kleptocracy, asset recovery, offshore secrecy, reputation laundering and unexplained wealth, and actors include businesses, governments, politicians, governing bodies and public servants.

Learning from the West? brings insight into political life after the collapse of communism and the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s. For Communist parties and their successors (CSPs), the challenge was perhaps the greatest - to redefine themselves within new, 'westernised' political systems. As these parties sought to adapt their programmatic appeals to their new environments, they searched for policies from abroad that could fit these new political structures. The political parties of Western Europe provided a rich range of programmes from which policies could be drawn. This book analyses how, to what extent and under what conditions external influences came to bear on the programmatic development of CSPs. It argues that while some parties remain neo-communist in orientation, growling about the evils of capitalism on the far-left of their respective political systems, others have developed into social democratic actors, embracing programmatic ideals that often bear a strong resemblance to those of centre-left actors in Western Europe. This book was previously published as a special issue of The Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics.

Repeated corruption scandals and the efforts of the international political community to find ways to counteract them have compelled economists, anthropologists and political scientists to confront corruption as a subject for serious academic research. This textbook introduces students to the field of corruption analysis and the challenges facing its researchers. The book explores the definitional challenges, the problems of measurement and the methodologies that underpin the standard corruption indices. The key drivers of corrupt practice are identified and the arguments used to understand the causes of corruption are outlined. The book looks at what works in the fight against corruption, including international conventions and organizations, and policy initiatives at the national level. The role of third sector organizations, the so-called "anti-corruption industry" and the work of citizen activists and "armchair auditors" are also explored. Analysing Corruption provides an authoritative and engaging introduction to a subject that is the largest public policy challenge that the state faces in many parts of the world. It is suitable for courses in politics, public policy, public administration, development studies and anthropology. It will also be of value to those working in NGOs and charities helping to shape anti-corruption thinking.

This book presents a comparative perspective on the new dynamics of electoral competition following devolution to Scotland and Wales. It brings together leading experts on elections, political parties and regional politics from Britain, Europe and North America to explore the dynamics and interactions of national and regional arenas of electoral competition. Chapters include theoretical reflections on the relationship between regional and national elections, and a range of country case studies. The aim of the non-British case studies is to establish both empirical benchmarks and a framework for analysis for exploring the dynamics of electoral competition, the adaptation of party strategies and the nuances of voting behaviour that the UK is likely to encounter in a situation where new Welsh and Scottish elections flank general elections to Westminster. The final section of the book offers detailed discussion of these multi-level electoral dynamics now at play in the UK. -- .