The Economics Of Post Communist Transition

Transition in Central and Eastern Europe has led to a U-shaped response of output: a sharp decline in output followed by recovery. Most of the countries of Central Europe seem now firmly on the upside; most of the countries of Eastern Europe are still close to the bottom of the U: an optimistic view is that they are now negotiating the turn. Olivier Blanchard, a distinguished economist who has worked on transition since its beginning, is one of the first to present a unified analysis of the process of transition. The U-shaped response of output, its causes and its implications, are the subject of this book. The text is split into four chapters. The first reviews the facts; the second focuses on the two basic mechanisms underlying transition: reallocation and restructuring; the third looks more closely at a number of issues, from the interactions between restructuring and privatization to the nature of the labour market in transition; the fourth chapter pulls the material together in an analytical model of transition. This model is then used to discuss policy issues, from the design of privatization to the role of fiscal policy in transition.

This interdisciplinary study offers a comprehensive analysis of the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Providing full historical context and drawing on a wide range of literature, this book explores the continuous economic and social transformation of the post-socialist world. While the future is yet to be determined, understanding the present phase of transformation is critical. The book’s core exploration evolves along three pivots of competitive economic structure, institutional change, and social welfare. The main elements include analysis of the emergence of the socialist economic model; its adaptations through the twentieth century; discussion of the 1990s market transition reforms; post-2008 crisis development; and the social and economic diversity in the region today. With an appreciation for country specifics, the book also considers the urgent problems of social policy, poverty, income inequality, and labor migration. Transition Economies will aid students, researchers and policy makers working on the problems of comparative economics, economic development, economic history, economic systems transition, international political economy, as well as specialists in post-Soviet and Central and Eastern European regional studies.

Examining transformations using a variety of perspectives Theorizing Transition provides both a rich empirical map of the dimensions of post-Communism and raises important theoretical issues about how we interpret these changes.

"This exceptionally strong collection is the best single book yet to appear on the reform process in the postsocialist economies. Although it will primarily interest economists, it is also accessible to students of political science." - P. Rutland, Choice Transition and Growth in Post-Communist Countries documents the first ten years of economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe. It examines economic growth, stabilization policies and the reformation of social safety nets in the formerly communist countries. The analysis is presented by prominent architects of the economic transition who have been directly involved in both designing and implementing the programme of economic reforms. Using theoretical and empirical analyses the volume concludes that the countries which have successfully implemented major programmes of macroeconomic stabilization and institutional restructuring have experienced a much faster growth of national income and wealth than the non-reformers. This authoritative volume will be compelling reading to those interested in emerging market economies, the economics of transition, and international political economy. Researchers, lecturers and students of international macroeconomics and international political relations will also find the book useful. Contents: Preface Part I: Uneven Reforms - Unbalanced Growth Part II: Financial Openness and Approaches to Monetary Integration Part III: Reforming Social Safety Nets Part IV: Political Challenges of Transition Index Contributors: N. Barr, L. Bokros, A. Bratkowski, M. Dabrowski, M. Dmitriev, S. Fischer, S. Golinowska, S. Gomulka, D. Gros, D. Lipton, L.T. Orlowski, J. Rostowski, M. Rutowski, R. Sahay, V. Schmähl, M. Suhrcke, A.M. Warner, S. Wellisz.

This book sets the experiences of former communist countries as they head towards capitalism against the 'varieties of capitalism' paradigm, and provides a framework for comparing transformation processes, demonstrating how differing heritages of communist and pre-communist pasts are leading to different kinds of capitalist economies.

In this book Foreign Direct Investments are defined as strategic investments by foreign economic agents who enter the transitional economy market by acquiring (partially or wholly) local enterprises. There is also the possibility of making a 'greenfield investment' in the host country.

The most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the successes and failures of 27 countries post-communism transformation. Looking at life after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the book examines and contrasts why some countries have virtually completed their transformation to a liberal polity and economy, while others lag behind.

Transition from central planning to a market economy, involving large-scale institutional change and reforms at all levels, is often described as the greatest social science experiment in modern times. As more than two decades have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is now an excellent time to take stock of how the transition process has turned out for the economies that have moved on from socialism and the command economy. This new handbook assembles a team of leading experts, many of whom were closely involved in the transition process as policymakers and policy advisors, to explore the major themes that have characterized the transition process. After identifying the nature of initial conditions and the strengths and weaknesses of institutions, the varying paths and reforms countries have taken are fully analyzed – from the shock therapy, privatization or gradualism of the early years to the burning issues of the present including global integration and sustainable growth. Topics covered include the socialist system pre-transition, economic reforms, institutions, the political economy of transition, performance and growth, enterprise restructuring, and people and transition. The country coverage is also extensive, from the former socialist countries of the USSR and the satellite states of Central and Eastern Europe to the Asian countries of China, Vietnam and others. The rise of China as a key actor in the drama is chronicled, along with the emergence of a new, more confident, oil-rich Russia. The comparative prosperity of the Central European countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic is contrasted with the mixed fortunes of the former USSR, where some countries are stagnating while others boom. This Handbook of the Economics and Political Economy of Transition is the definitive guide to this new order of things in the former Communist world.