Making Capitalism Without Capitalists: Class Formation and Elite Struggles in Post-Communist Central Europe [Hardcover]

Gil Eyal (Author), Ivan Szelenyi (Author), Eleanor R. Townsley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1999

Focuses on the transition from socialism to capitalism in Eastern Europe since the 1980s, where capitalism was made without a capitalist class. This text reflects on the sociological characteristics of the Communist system and offers a theory of post-Communist societies. 1989 is seen as a successful revolution led by the former technocratic fraction of the old Communist ruling estate against the bureaucracy. In order to secure its victory, however, the technocracy had to make substantial concessions to the former dissident intelligentsia. The irony of the post-Communist way to capitalism is that these most unlikely actors see "building capitalism" as their historic task.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a pioneering study by three American sociologists of the transition from state socialism to capitalism in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. (Tribune )

Identifies the distinctive features of capitalism as constructed by former Communist Party technocrats and dissident intellectuals on the ruins of a socialist system. (Journal of Higher Education ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Gil Eyal is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. Ivan Szelenyi is Professor of Sociology at UCLA. Eleanor Townsley is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Mount Holyoke College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Verso Books (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1859848192
• ISBN-13: 978-1859848197
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,270,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, insightful, occasionally iconoclastic, May 23, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Capitalism Without Capitalists: Class Formation and Elite Struggles in Post-Communist Central Europe (Hardcover)

Gil Eyal, Ivan Szelenyi, Eleanor Townsley effectively collaborate in Making Capitalism Without Capitalists: The New Ruling Elites In Eastern Europe to offer a new and compelling theory regarding the transition to capitalism from previously communist/socialist economic systems. Of special note is the two-fold origin of those taking responsibility for the construction of capitalism: former Communist technocrats, and former dissident intellectuals. Making Capitalism Without Capitalists is informative, insightful, occasionally iconoclastic reading highly recommended for students of economics and contemporary Eastern European international studies.