This accessible textbook offers a comparative analysis of social policy in the new Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union. It assesses past developments, the problems of the present transitional period and prospects for the future. Bringing together leading specialists on the social policy of the former Soviet Union, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Poland, this book systematically outlines the shortcomings of the old bureaucratic collectivist system of welfare, as well as explaining why the emerging system is, initially at least, often inadequate. Focusing on this unique period of transition, The New Eastern Europe vividly demonstrates the difficulty of balancing social justice and economic efficienc