NINETEEN-EIGHTY-NINE was a year of historic possibility. Twenty years later, Shlomo Avineri, Paul Berman, Norman Geras, Keith Gessen, Charles S. Maier, Anna Seleny, Vladimir Tismaneanu, Jeffrey Wasserstrom, and Guobin Yang contemplate the political transformation of Eastern Europe, Russia, and China.

OVER THE past decade, the Internet has played a crucial role in the promotion of democracy. But, writes Evgeny Morozov, it has also brought into play "a host of decentralized, uncontrollable, and ultimately more dangerous elements." (A visualization of the Internet / Matt Brint / Creative Commons)

THE RISE of Silvio Berlusconi--Italy's antic, three-time prime minister--was not achieved by means of wealth, corruption, or willpower alone. Rather, writes Yascha Mounk, "Berlusconi's ascendancy is owed not only to the shambolic state of the Italian left," but also, in part, to "the toothless political program of the European left." (Berlusconi in 2007 / Jollyroger / Creative Commons 2.5)

FUNDAMENTALISM HAS become a growing source of insecurity for Pakistan. But, writes Ali Eteraz, "the real issue is not that from time to time a group of militants, while demanding the implementation of sharia, begin attacking civilians"--it is the 1973 Islamization of Pakistan's constitution. (Photo: Farazilu/Creative Commons)

WERNER SOMBART'S hundred-year-old question about American politics--why does America not have a socialist movement?--has not only faded in the last couple of decades; it has been inverted. The question for contemporary historians, writes Michael Kimmage, is why does America have so much capitalism? (Reagan in a 1981 televised address / White House / Wikimedia)

KURDISTAN HAS been one of the most impoverished and thoroughly violated places in the Islamic world, reports Tim Goot-Brennan. But while much of Iraq is still riven by sectarian violence, "the Kurds have transformed northern Iraq from the grimmest part of the Middle East into a relatively free and functional society." (Outside Iraqi Kurdistan's parliament / Tim Goot-Brennan)

ANDREAS KALYVAS and Ira Katznelson's Liberal Beginnings captures not only the story of liberalism's emergence from republicanism but, writes Geoffrey Kurtz, also provides "a model for understanding how social democracy [developed] from liberalism." (Adam Smith and Eduard Bernstein)

THE TEHRAN show trials are nothing new for the Islamic Republic of Iran, argues Ladan Boroumand. "Instead, [they] flow directly from the very nature of the Islamic regime and its inherent hostility to liberal-democratic nations." Adds Ramin Jahanbegloo, the recent trials are "a reminder of the Moscow show trials of 1936-38." (Ahmedinajad on May 9, 2009 / Kamyar Adl / Creative Commons 2.0)

THE ELECTION of Barack Obama opens the door for renewed peace negotiations in the Mideast. But "high diplomacy without grassroots diplomacy [has] failed," write J. Craig Jenkins and Thomas Maher, and "a popular referendum in both Israel and the Palestinian territories over the legitimacy of negotiations...would prepare [for the] significant concessions." (Photo: Vince Musi/The White House)

WHILE THE expansion of presidential power reached a troubling climax under Bush, Sanford Levinson argues that the failure can be traced to the inadequacies of our political system--one "in which politically self-interested party leaders...have an incentive to declare emergencies--and to take on quasi-dictatorial powers." (George W. Bush after his 2004 election / White House / Wikimedia)

TO MANY, last month's electoral coup irrevocably damaged the institutions of Iran's Islamic Republic. But, writes Daniel Brumberg,"for the foreseeable future the best option for Iran's opposition...may be to focus their energies on reviving and reshaping those elected institutions that have the means (and constitutional duty) to speak on behalf of the populace." (Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei / Wikimedia Commons)

THE SUPREME Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano will have a significant impact on employment discrimination law. But, writes Mark Tushnet, it also reveals "the strategy of Chief Justice John Roberts and his conservative colleagues for achieving their long-run goals." (The U.S. Supreme Court Building: Wadester16 / Creative Commons)

WITH THE opponents of health care reform getting noisier and more violent, Obama has decided that he will take a more personal role in the health care debate. But, warns Nicolaus Mills, "the latest attacks on...health care proposals are not merely about policy differences...They are attacks on Obama's right to lead the country." (Obama speaking on health care / Chuck Kennedy / White House)

IN A state known for intractable legislative gridlock and feckless governors, a handful of elected officials and one billionaire took over the New York state legislature last month. Writes Sarah Leonard, "This...may put the frustrated voter in mind of New York's Tammany Hall days. But these individuals are not what is wrong with our government; they are symptoms of a long untreated disease." (Dean Skelos and Pedro Espada: Matt Ryan/Creative Commons)

HAVING SIGNED CAFTA in 2006, El Salvador now faces a lawsuit from a Canadian mining firm that threatens to undermine its sovereignty. "Pacific Rim's lawsuit," writes Michael Busch, "represents the latest example of failure by U.S.-sponsored trade regimes to bring prosperity and progress to the region." (Bush signing the CAFTA Implementation Act: White House/Wikimedia)

MANY WERE disappointed that Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and James Crowley did not apologize when they met at the White House earlier this month. But, argues Nicolaus Mills, their "insistence on not rehashing a confrontation both obviously regret...is precisely what made [it] a success. These days the surest way to stop racial progress is through endless discussions of past grievances." (In the Rose Garden / Pete Souza / White House)

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE is currently one of the most divisive political issues in America. While several states have legalized it, others--such as California--have stripped same-sex couples of their right. "What ought we to hope and work for, as a just future for families in our society?" asks Martha Nussbaum in her essay "A Right to Marry." respond. (Alex Handy/Wikimedia Commons)

In Afghanistan, writes Susie Linfield, "there is, to be blunt, a war on women...Women--and girls, sometimes of eight or nine-are traded like any other commodity." Adds Christine Stansell, "American liberals should be thinking about what will constitute a decent feminist foreign policy for the Obama administration." (Photo: Russell Lee Klika/U.S. Army National Guard)

OBAMA'S PRESIDENTIAL campaign relied heavily upon "new media" techniques: social networking, fundraising emails, text messages. But has email replaced the door-to-door flier? And have blogs replaced the pamphlet? Michael Walzer and Mckenzie Wark debate politics in the age of the internet. (Photo: University of Cambridge/Creative Commons)

THE POST-ELECTION protests in Iran were the largest since the 1979 revolution. Ramin Jahanbegloo considers the possibility of democratic reform, Michael Walzer examines the appropriate American response, and Feisal G. Mohamed contemplates the revolutionary potential of Twitter. (Photo: Milad Avazbeigi/Creative Commons)
Petition Against the Government-Sponsored Violence in Iran