Romania since the Second World War: A Political, Social and Economic History

by Florin Abraham

CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2017 Romania since the Second World War is the first book about Romania designed to chart the progress of the nation under the communist regime as well as the transition period that followed, providing detailed analysis of the aspects of continuity and change that can be identified over the period as a whole. The book begins with Romania's involvement in the Second World War, looking at the communist regime in depth. It examines how communism took hold and the elimination of traditional elites took place, before discussing the impact of Gheorghiu-Dej and Nicolae Caeusescu, the two most important leaders of the communist era. The following chapters cover the main social and economic changes during the communist regime. The second part of the book explores the transition period following the end of communism in 1989, with special attention given to international relations and Romania's drive for inclusion in NATO and the EU. Romania since the Second World Wa r assesses socio-demographic trends across the postwar period before concluding with some thoughts on the nation's development during this time. The book includes a useful appendix covering the key figures in Romania's recent history and a helpful bibliography, making this a key text for anyone interested in the modern history of Eastern Europe.

Genres: Romania, History

360 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2015

Reviews

[Eileen Seitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I read on Romania. I found it both informative and somewhat tedious at times because it read almost like a text book in sections. It began after WWII and covers Romania's communist period, ending in the present. I would like to have learned about their pre-communist history and governments. All in all, I liked the book, enjoyed learning about what led the country to communism, the politics, geopolitical challenges, economics, and societal changes that occurred within the country from 1948 to the present. It is a tough history and I am a fan of Romania and her people.