Local Democracy and the Processes of Transformation in East-Central Europe (Urban Policy Challenges)

In the immediate post-communist environment of East-Central Europe, local governments have had to find new ways of reforming institutions in an effort to manage emerging market economies and provide better service for their citizens. Based on extensive analysis and surveys of local leaders and citizens in hundreds of cities and towns throughout the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, this book compares experiences in these countries. It portrays the relationships between citizens and local elites, showing the constraints and achievements in cultivating working forms of local democracy.