Post-Communist Transformation under the Pendulum of Big History
Post-Communist Transformation under the Pendulum of Big History

Summary/Abstract: In the section “Three Voices”, Václav Rameš, Matej Ivančík and Jóhann Páll Árnason discuss a book of essays on post-communist transformations and neoliberal hegemony by the German-Austrian historian Philipp Ther, published in English under the title "How the West Lost the Peace: The Great Transformation Since Cold War". Ther’s essays are a blend of historical analysis and contemporary insights, offering an interpretation of how neoliberal policies, economic upheavals and political reactions have collectively shaped modern Europe. Using Karl Polanyi’s concept of the “double movement” of the pendulum of history as a lens, Ther links the past to the present, highlighting the effects of unregulated capitalism and the recurrent social need for protection, emphasizing the interplay between domestic developments and global trends, and the intricate balance between national policies and international pressures. Rameš situates Ther’s work within the broader European historiography after the fall of communism and emphasizes the author’s shift from the data-centred analysis he presented in his 2016 publication "Europe since 1989: A History" to a more interpretive and politically engaged approach. While he appreciates Ther’s historicizing emphasis, comparing post-communist changes with long-term developments since the Industrial Revolution, he draws attention to his ambivalent and inconsistent definition of neoliberalism. He also reveals several translation errors in the Czech edition that misinterpret Ther’s arguments.

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