'This book is a major achievement: a multi-method, cross-national study of civil society that demonstrates the decisive impact of Leninist rule on the post-communist world. After reading Marc Howard's book, I am convinced that the differences between the political experience of the post-communist countries of Europe and the post-authoritarian states of Latin America are not merely differences of degree but differences of kind. Howard's study will surely become a standard work for students of civil society and democracy.' Jeffrey Kopstein, University of Toronto

• 1. Introduction; 2. An experiential approach to societal continuity and change; 3. Civil society and democratization; 4. An empirical baseline: post-communist civil society in comparative perspective; 5. Explaining organizational membership: a statistical test of alternative hypotheses; 6. Why post-communist citizens do not join organizations: an interpretive analysis; 7. Conclusion.

'This book is a major achievement: a multi-method, cross-national study of civil society that demonstrates the decisive impact of Leninist rule on the post-communist world. After reading Marc Howard's book, I am convinced that the differences between the political experience of the post-communist countries of Europe and the post-authoritarian states of Latin America are not merely differences of degree but differences of kind. Howard's study will surely become a standard work for students of civil society and democracy.' Jeffrey Kopstein, University of Toronto

• 1. Introduction; 2. An experiential approach to societal continuity and change; 3. Civil society and democratization; 4. An empirical baseline: post-communist civil society in comparative perspective; 5. Explaining organizational membership: a statistical test of alternative hypotheses; 6. Why post-communist citizens do not join organizations: an interpretive analysis; 7. Conclusion.

'This book is a major achievement: a multi-method, cross-national study of civil society that demonstrates the decisive impact of Leninist rule on the post-communist world. After reading Marc Howard's book, I am convinced that the differences between the political experience of the post-communist countries of Europe and the post-authoritarian states of Latin America are not merely differences of degree but differences of kind. Howard's study will surely become a standard work for students of civil society and democracy.' Jeffrey Kopstein, University of Toronto

• 1. Introduction; 2. An experiential approach to societal continuity and change; 3. Civil society and democratization; 4. An empirical baseline: post-communist civil society in comparative perspective; 5. Explaining organizational membership: a statistical test of alternative hypotheses; 6. Why post-communist citizens do not join organizations: an interpretive analysis; 7. Conclusion.