A systems analysis considers the effects of both internal and external factors. Internal factors of the system and its subsystems include organizational and functional structure, number of cadres, method of training and qualifications of cadres, conditions of work, and evaluation criteria. External factors include political influences such as ideology and international political climate; economics, including living conditions and living standards; legal and legislative factors; sociostructural and sociodemographic such as class or group membership and variables connected with urbanization and industrialization; technical, cultural, and scientific development; and aspirations, needs, values, customs, and social attitudes. Following a discussion of commonalities among European socialist countries and the general influence of these factors, a cross-national analysis examines each country separately. Countries examined include Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union. 210 footnotes.