Discussion covers; attempts to reform by the communist parties themselves; the luke warm Yugoslavs - Prague Spring; the high point, and ultimate defeat for reform; Communism in Eastern Europe - hope springs eternal; Euro communism as heir to the Czech experiment. Edward Goldstucker, former communist, Head of Writer's Union, Prague. Peter Wiles, Professor of Economics of the Soviet Union, London School of Economics Pavel Tigrid, Editor of the Czech Journal, Witness Adam Roberts, Specialist on Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, London School of Econoomics Yvonne von Hartel, 1968 Prague Student Leader Philip Windsor, International Affairs Specialist, London School of Economics Leszek Kolakowski, former Polish Communist Party member, Professor of Philosophy, Warsaw University

The Russian revolution was really a disaster for communism. This astonishing assessment of the long-term sets off the discussion in the first programme of a series which examines emergent crises in Eastern bloc countries. The rising tide of criticism and dissent within the Soviet bloc, coupled with the ferment of Euro-Communism revisionism in Western Europe poses yet another threat to Soviet leadership. Produced for the Canadian and American Broadcasting Corporations, Gwynne Dyer looks at what's happening on Russia's front door, Eastern Europe. Over five episodes Dyer speaks with experts on the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc dissidents.