Spain's consolidation: a model for Hungary?

• Main Author: Smith, Michael D.
• Other Authors: Bruneau, Thomas C.
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2014
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/42865

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited === The successful, non-violent transition and consolidation in Spain has been the subject of many studies. There is a literature that suggests that Spain's case may be a valid model for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe as each proceeds toward democratization and capitalism Hungary is used as the representative country of the former Soviet influenced bloc because of its many similarities historically in the twentieth century to other nations which have attempted to consolidate democratic and capitalist institutions. An in-depth study of the Spanish case-including the pre-transition, transition, and consolidation phases-is undertaken to describe the complex changes that took place in Spain during this traumatic process. The Hungarian case study consists of a look at the pre-transistion and transition phases only, as the consolidation phases did not begin until June 1994. The final stage of this study takes the two cases and draws conclusions by comparing and contrasting the changes that have occurred in each of the phases. This thesis calls attention to the specific methods used in each case and demonstrates that, although there are many similarities between the two cases, Spain's case is, in fact, not a valid model for Hungary or the other Central and Eastern European countries.