From Reform to Revolution : Demise of Communism in China and the Soviet UnionThe demise of communism in the former Soviet Union and the massive political and economic changes in China are two major transformations of the 20th century. Two central questions are emerging: Why did different communist systems experience different patterns of transition? Why did partial reforms in the Soviet Union and China turn into revolutions? This analytical and empirical study shows that patterns of regime transition in communist states depend