The political changes in Romania after 1989 were followed by structural changes that affected all areas of social, economic, political, and cultural life. The transition from a 'closed' to an 'open' society has been difficult for East European countries, as the creation of institutions oriented towards competition and diversity has not led to an instantaneous change in mentalities and social routines. Decades of communist education in the 'spirit of modesty' ensured that aspirations did not transgress ideological boundaries, and this is essential to an appreciation of the gap between social aspirations and systemic functionality after 1990. Extensive economic reorganization has had a direct effect on the education system, with some as yet unnatural changes. New occupations and fields of activity have emerged, for which existing qualifications are proving inadequate. At the same time, relative to the pre-1989 occupational structure, the importance granted to qualifications has dramatically decreased. If the outlets for expressed ideals and aspirations are insufficient, the surplus of qualifications tends to 'drain' towards less socio-economically closed environments.