Introduction: Benefit of U.S. Educational Assistance in the Eastern European Transformation

Abstract

Following the demise of communism, numerous programs were begun to improve the educational systems of Eastern European nations. It was evident that the newly independent states had little knowledge of democracy and free market practices and western nations looked for ways to improve the former communist citizens’ knowledge of these concepts. American governmental agencies and private foundations rushed into redress these problems in Eastern European educational systems to preclude the return of communism or other dictatorial regimes and to help the nations find a position among the democracies of the world. A sample of the programs and their outcomes are presented in this symposium.