Substantially expanded and rewritten, this new edition takes into account the changes since the first edition was published in 1992. With several Central European states joining the European Union, the authors set the historical context in which, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe is itself increasingly dividing into two blocs - those where democracy and pluralism appear firmly established, and those where they do not. This work should be useful to undergraduates taking courses on Eastern Europe since 1945, for students of history, international relations and politics, and for undergraduates taking courses on Europe since 1945.