Well im not saying it worked out great for everyone... but certainly East Germany for one... they may have not been able to enjoy the west's financial success but they could enjoy thier democracy... Poland would be another one i assume...

How widespread was most of what you talk about... are you mainly thinking of countries in the balkans....?

I would say on the whole it was a step in the right direction... maybe we (the west) could have done a bit more to help make it a more successful transition...