Post-socialist Bulgaria: the Dramatic Transition from Etatist’ to Liberalist’ Social Structure
Post-socialist Bulgaria: the Dramatic Transition from Etatist’ to Liberalist’ Social Structure

Summary/Abstract: The process of a triple-layered social transformation in Bulgaria (1989–2010) is not only a challenge to the system analysis, but also it is of interest with respect to the theoretical and methodological development of modern sociology. The focus here is on the dynamics, scope and character of the social inequality which was established in Bulgaria in the last two decades. Such an analysis is important not only as far as the structure of inequality is a key and complex social and political problem. The extent to which the change in the stratification profile of society provokes new highlights in the theory of social stratification is also important, as well as a new sensitivity of the methods of monitoring such a large-scale process. There is also a need for a new productive synthesis in sociology: (1) between concepts at a micro, meso and macro level; (2) between the describing positivistic and understanding hermeneutic approaches; between the structural analyses of institutions and social order, along with the plastic fine analyses of human culture and values, identity and motivations, capacity for happiness and empathy.

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