Conclusions: Central Europe in 1989—In Search of General Theory

This chapter examines various views on the events of 1989 in Central Europe. All the theories are focused on the axis “revolution”–“reform”, which, it is argued, are unsatisfactory. The weaknesses of these theories, that they do not explain non-violent nature of the events, lack of ideology on the one hand and the depth and complexity of the change on the other, are discussed. Subsequently the reasoning, why the counterrevolution theory fits to the events better is presented; the events of 1989 brought the countries of Central Europe back to their pre-revolutionary path of development which constitutes the events the “postponed counterrevolution”.