“[A]s thorough. . . an account of corruption in these five states as one will find.” — Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs
“[Holmes] has developed a well-reasoned argument on the critical issue of the next century in comparative and strategic studies. His work fits well in courses and research on nation building and strategic relations.” — Paul Kriese, Perspectives on Political Science
“[T]his book is a rare attempt to bridge the research on the legitimacy of state institutions, corruption, and postcommunist societies. As such, it is a valuable contribution to the literature in this area.” — Mahabat Baimyrzaeva, Public Administration Review
“Leslie Holmes’s exploration of the nature, meaning, incidence, and effects of corruption should be interesting and highly relevant to students, scholars, and policymakers in a broad range of fields.” — Graeme B. Robertson, Political Science Quarterly
“With this comprehensive and most informative monograph Leslie Holmes provides a valuable contribution to ongoing scholarly debates about corruption by, importantly, presenting a due comparative and detailed study of the phenomenon in the post-communist world.” — Diana Schmidt, Political Studies Review
“Leslie Holmes’s book charts the shady terrain of post-communist corruption with rigor and elegance. Among his accomplishments are a fine-grained conceptual analysis, the compilation of a uniquely rich body of data on five countries, and a thorough and imaginative discussion of the causes, consequences, and potential cures of corruption in societies facing transitions to neoliberalism.” — Claus Offe, author of Varieties of Transition: The East European and East German Experience
“This is a well-documented book based on keen comparisons of the corruption that permeates several Central and Eastern European countries, their institutions, their organizations, and their cadres. Combining these elements, Leslie Holmes offers stimulating insights that move us closer to a theory of corruption.” — Harry Makler, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, and Visiting Scholar, Stanford University