Following German reunification in 1990, East Germany's centrally planned economy was abolished and replaced by West Germany's social market economy. Western Germany has since provided vast financial support to aid the transformation, and enable eastern Germany to catch-up with western Germany's...

Part one. Before the 1963 'economic reform' -- The prevention of democratic change in East Germany after World War II -- The role of the soviet military administration in Germany (SMAD) -- The foundation of the GDR on October 7, 1949 -- Stalin's diplomatic initiative in March/April --...

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 brought the end of socialism, yet pro-socialist sentiment regained momentum surprisingly quickly across Eastern Europe. Why did voters move back to an ideology that was associated with unfree elections and lackluster economic performance? This paper points to...