Stalinism for All Seasons: A Political History of Romanian Communism

Description

Stalinism for All Seasons is the first comprehensive history of the Romanian Communist Party (RCP). It traces the origins of the once-tiny, clandestine revolutionary organization in the 1920s through the years of national power from 1944 to 1989 to the post-1989 metamorphoses of its members. Vladimir Tismaneanu uses documents that he discovered while working in the RCP archives in Bucharest in the mid-1990s and interviews with many of the party members from the Ceau_escu and Gheorghiu-Dej eras to tell the absorbing story of how RCP members came to power as exponents of Moscow and succeeded in turning themselves into champions of autonomy. Tismaneanu analyzes both the main events in Romanian communism and the role of significant personalities in the party’s history. Situating the rise and fall of Romanian communism within the world revolutionary movement, Stalinism for All Seasons shows that the history of communism in one country can illuminate the development of communism in the twentieth century. Tismaneanu discusses significant moments in the final six decades of world communism, including the Spanish Civil War, World War II, the Comintern, Stalin and the Bolshevization of the Eastern European communist parties, and de-Stalinization. He examines important events in international affairs during Nicolae Ceau_escu’s rule (1965-1989)—particularly Romania’s role in the Sino-Soviet conflict, the Middle East, European communism, and European security. Finally, Tismaneanu identifies the RCP’s descendants among Romania’s current political parties and personalities. Embracing a long and complex period, this book will interest readers of twentieth-century history and anyone curious about communism and postcommunism. Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Abbreviations and Acronyms Introduction: Why a History of Romanian Communism? 1. Understanding National Stalinism 2. A Messianic Sect 3. The Road to Absolute Power 4. Stalinism Unbound, 1948-1956 5. Aftershocks of the CPSU’s Twentieth Congress, 1957-1960 6. Opposing Khrushchevism 7. Ceaucescu’s Dynastic Communism, 1965-1989 Epilogue: The RCP’s Afterlife Appendix: The Romanian Communist Party’s Leadership: A Biographical Roster Notes Introduction. Why a History of Romanian Communism? Chapter 1. Understanding National Stalinism Chapter 2. A Messianic Sect Chapter 3. The Road to Absolute Power Chapter 4. Stalinism Unbound, 1948-1956 Chapter 5. Aftershocks of the CPSU’s Twentieth Congress, 1957-1960 Chapter 6. Opposing Khrushchevism Chapter 7. Ceau^escu’s Dynastic Communism, 1965-1989 Epilogue. The RCP’s Afterlife Select Bibliography Index