The Changing Political Participation of Postcommunist Citizens

This article focuses on participation in the postcommunist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Representative national surveys conducted in a large number of countries shortly after they acquired independence and replicated almost a decade later make possible empirical analyses of trends in membership in associations of civil society, involvement in several types of conventional political activities, and attitudes toward different protest behaviors. The analyses confirm the widely noted decline in associational membership and show some of the reasons for the decline. They document the slow increase in conventional involvements in countries that are closer to Western Europe in economic growth and historical experiences. Resources of education, income, and age are associated with higher rates of participation in associations and in conventional political activities, replicating patterns familiar in older democracies. These citizens are also following the general trend of endorsing forms of political protest.