How the different countries of the former Warsaw pact developed after the Wall came down according to the text „A decade of life without the Wall“( written by Peter Ford, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor, published 11/08/1999.)

Poland:

  • Rapid transition from totalitarian state with socialist economy to a constitutional, participatory democracy.
  • The atmosphere was westernised by many workers who had taken jobs in Western Europe, by solidarity and by the anticommunist trade union.
  • The farmland still belonged to the farmers, had never been collectivised.
  • Fifty per cent of Polish trade was with the West
  • Poland joined the NATO
  • Companies brought technology, management skills and investment.
  • Achieved the same per capita gross domestic product as ten years before.
  • Functioning market economy

    Hungary:

  • Rapid transition to constitutional, participatory democracy with a free market.
  • By 1989 managers already thought about profit lines and knew how to make deals.
  • Once an upcoming rise against communism was crushed down by the Soviets.
  • Hungarian authorities allowed many reforms.
  • Hungarians were often allowed to travel to the West, small private enterprise was allowed.
  • Functioning market economy

    Bulgaria:

  • Is still struggling to implement market reforms
  • Economy was dominated by massive state-run heavy industrial plants, which for they needed cheap Soviet oil and gas.
  • They exported 85% of their output to the Soviet Union.
  • When the oil and gas transport from the Soviets stopped, Bulgaria got into difficulties
  • Substantial progress

    Romania:

  • Still struggles with adjustment.
  • Former President Nicole Ceaucescu forbid all contact with the West.
  • His successors aren’t really useful
  • The economic situation is very worrying.

    Czechoslovakia:

  • All individualistic and entrepreneurial thinking had been uprooted.
  • Economy was privatised in a wrong way.
  • Nevertheless: functional market economy.

    Poland:

  • Westernise atmosphere by many workers living abroad.
  • The farmland never had been collectivised.
  • A lot of trade with the West

    Hungary:

  • Hungarian authorities allowed many reforms.
  • Hungarians were allowed to travel.
  • By 1989 managers already know what to do.

    Bulgaria:

  • Economy was massively state- run.
  • Depended on cheap gas and oil from the Soviet Union.

    Romania:

  • Had hardly any contact to the West.
  • Incompetent leaders.

    Czechoslovakia:

  • All individualistic and entrepreneurial thinking had been uprooted.
  • Economy was privatised in a wrong way.

    By Carolina Bruch