Overview
Binio S. Binev's book offers an innovative interpretation of the relationship between economic liberalism and political illiberalism in contemporary Eastern Europe and Latin America. Focusing primarily on the former region, he emphasizes linkages between the legacies of early market reform and the adaptive strategies of subsequent populists. By integrating elements of path dependency and human agency, this book advances a distinctive explanation of illiberals' electoral viability and behavior in power. It uses both quantitative analysis of region-wide patterns and in-depth case studies informed by interviews from fieldwork in both regions to offer a comprehensive and nuanced perspective on the long-term effects of building capitalism, the political Left, and the persistent appeal of populist forces after the end of communism. It also identifies intriguing cross-regional parallels connecting early market reforms, societal reactions to neoliberalism, and illiberals' prospects of dominating politics and contesting democracy.
Full Product Details
Author: Binio S. Binev (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Weight: 0.649kg
ISBN: 9781009706605
ISBN 10: 1009706608
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 14 May 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
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Reviews
'Binev provides a detailed account of the diverse trajectories of political parties coping with market liberalization at critical junctures in post-communist and select Latin American countries. 'Crossroads After Communism' develops important general propositions, backed up by evidence, explaining when and where populist parties can become spearheads of degrading liberal democracy and economic market liberalism.' Herbert Kitschelt, George V. Allen Distinguished Professor of International Relations, Duke University 'A major contribution to the comparative study of post-Communist transitions and their diverging legacies in Eastern Europe. Drawing lessons from the Latin American experience, Binio S. Binev artfully explains how different partisan alignments during decisive periods of market reform in post-Communist Europe produced liberal or illiberal political, economic, and cultural effects over the long term. This masterful work of cross-regional comparative political economy is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the conditions under which the triumph of liberalism in the 1990s spawned the backlash against it in the early 21st century.' Kenneth M. Roberts, Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government, Cornell University 'This ambitious book explores why neoliberal junctures led to the rise of populism in some countries of Eastern Europe and Latin America but not others. Where the left promotes neoliberalism in a bait-and-switch maneuver, it destabilizes its traditional bases of support and paves the way for populist rule. Binev's book strengthens the case for viewing populists as opportunistic forces of reaction.' Mitchell A. Orenstein, Professor of Russian and East European Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Author Information
Binio S. Binev is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech, where his work covers institutions, political economy, and cross-regional perspectives. He was educated in Bulgaria and the United States, studied languages in Germany, Mexico, and Kyrgyzstan, and has conducted research in Eastern Europe, South America, and Central Asia.
