Abstract

Helping East European education, academics and research is about as uncontroversial as funding cancer research or giving charity to orphans. The communist regimes left much of their education system in worse condition than their industry. In addition to being hopelessly outdated and inefficient, it was morally corrupt, intellectually bankrupt and authoritarian. Short on money and lacking a qualified work-force, East European governments could have done little to ameliorate the situation even had they had an interest in creating an intellectual class.

Clearly, Western financial and professional help from public and private charitable sources is needed. It should aim not just to update academic education, but also to lay the foundation for democracy in practice as well as in theory.