Eastern European Capitalism in the Making

This book examines the relationships between governments, labor and business in central and eastern Europe as capitalism develops. The triple forum for social dialogue, termed "tripartism," is a new post-communist species of state-society interaction and a brand of capitalism distinct from American neo-liberalism, western European neo-corporatism and Japanese statism. Through political negotiations, civic participation, and multi-level bargaining, tripartism institutionalizes--and thereby contains and channels--conflict among post-communist social actors in the industrial arena. Variations in the establishment and functioning of tripartite institutions across central and eastern European countries, industries and regions reflect differing corporatist legacies and differing paths taken to effect extrication from state socialism. Integration into the international ecomomy and polity, especially European integration, has somewhat diminished differences and, in the long run, is helping preserve and maintain social dialogue structures in the central and eastern European region.