Am 25. Februar 1956 hielt Chruschtschow auf dem XX. Parteitag der KPdSU seine berühmte Geheimrede über den "Personenkult" und die Verbrechen Stalins. Damit leitete er eine Entwicklung ein, die durch Justizkorrekturen, Milderungen in der Herrschaftsausübung und Erweiterungen von politischen Spielräumen geprägt war. Der Beginn dieses politischen Tauwetters bildet die Ausgangsbasis für den Band, der die Situation in den kommunistischen Satellitenländern vergleichend untersucht, die globale Blockkonfrontation darstellt und sich mit Systemstabilisatoren und Faktoren der Sozialpolitik und der Militarisierung beschäftigt.
On 25 February 1956 at the XX KPdSU Party conference Chruschtschow held his famous secret speech on the "personality cult" and crimes of Stalin. This triggered developments characterized by moderation in judgements, alleviation of power and more political freedom. The beginning of this political thaw forms the basis of this book. Situations in various communist satellite states are compared; global bloc confrontations and means to stabilize the system are discussed as well as key issues of the social policies and militarism.
On 25 February 1956 at the XX KPdSU Party conference Chruschtschow held his famous secret speech on the "personality cult" and crimes of Stalin. This triggered developments characterized by moderation in judgements, alleviation of power and more political freedom. The beginning of this political thaw forms the basis of this book. Situations in various communist satellite states are compared; global bloc confrontations and means to stabilize the system are discussed as well as key issues of the social policies and militarism.