Accumulation by Dispossession and the Fall of the Eastern Bloc: The Case of East Germany in Context
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In this article, I revisit the fall of the Eastern Bloc and its patron, the Soviet Union, focusing on the case of East Germany. The article serves two broad purposes. First, it highlights the idiosyncrasies of East Germany’s post-socialist transformation relative to other former Warsaw Pact members. Second, it contextualizes Germany’s reunification in 1990 with reference to ongoing public debates. The article’s novel contribution lies in applying Marxian frameworks to the issue at hand. Building on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession,” I argue that the economic restructuring following the Eastern Bloc’s collapse constitutes accumulation by dispossession. Within the context of East Germany, this insight can help reframe the persistent narrative of reunification as an instance of colonization , which recently revived in public discourse. JEL Classification : P30, P31, B51
Author: Paul Setzepfand
Institution: University of Oslo
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W7204176045