Estonia is among the smallest of Eastern European countries, but her political and economic achievements have been among the greatest. After fifty years of Soviet rule, Estonia won back its independence in 1991.
This book presents a comparative sociological and political analysis of the changes in Estonian society during the decade of post-communist transition that followed the Singing Revolution of 1988-89. The analysis is based on statistical data and the results of sociological surveys carried out during the Estonian-Swedish comparative Balticom research program in 1991-97. The authors look beyond economic and political realities in search of cultural driving forces, embedded in people's values and aspirations. The book was written by Estonian, Swedish and Finnish sociologists and political scientists.