A “simple transfer” implies a superficial and mechanical act. Anyone who has studied political and economic change in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the postcommunist era has become well acquainted with superficial and mechanical transfers. Though I will argue that there is a lot more going on in the region — much of it positive — the analogy of a “simple transfer” is worth a moment's reflection. Like all analogies, this one simplifies some aspects of a complicated reality in order to crystallize an essential point or a key trend. In this case, the point is that simply admiring and adopting Western practices is likely to cause more problems than it solves — indeed, to cause “disaster.”

In the long process of writing this book, I have cited several analogies about the transformation of Eastern Europe. One favorite is the aria competition, an old story that Martin Krygier (2002) has applied to CEE. The analogy is based on an aria competition with two entrants. After the first singer finishes, the judges immediately award first place to the second singer, figuring there was no way she could be as bad as the first. Krygier goes on to note that CEE citizens thought communism was so bad that postcommunism simply had to be better.