The Political Economy of Transformation

ISBN-13: 9783790807387 / Angielski / Miękka / 1994 / 243 str.

Hans-Ja1/4rgen Wagener

Opis

This book analyzes the political-economic implications of system transformation as experienced now in Central and Eastern Europe and in China. The whole societal organization being in motion and economic activitybeing in a deep recession, political leaders will find it extremely difficult to secure consensus and support for redesigning institutions, and stabilizing and restructuring activity. The ensuing process is certainly not one of optimal control, but has rather evolutionary characteristics leading constantly to paradoxes and dilemmas. The first part of the book discusses different paradigms within which the complex process of transformation could fruitfully be analyzed. Democratic theory, bargaining theory, efficiency theory, institutionalism - all contribute to the understanding of the complex phenomena. Keytopics of the second part are among others: policy aspects of privatization, adjustment of fiscal system and policy, industrialrestructuring, the different case of China. The book illustrates that the first euphoria of planning the transition to markets was rather naive, analytically and politically. Transformation is not only an economic puzzle, not even in the first place. It is very much of a sociopolitical problem andhas to be treated as such. The book can be used as a reader or as background literature in corresponding course.

O autorze

Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Wagener (1941) hat in Berlin und München Volkswirtschaft und Soziologie studiert. Nach Forschungstätigkeit am Osteuropa-Institut München und am Wiener Institut für internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche übernahm er 1975 an der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen einen Lehrstuhl für Volkswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere den Vergleich von Wirtschaftssystemen. Nach der Neugründung der Viadrina wechselte er 1993 auf einen Lehrstuhl Wirtschaftspolitik in Frankfurt (Oder). Dort gründete er das Frankfurter Institut für Transformationsstudien und beschäftigte sich vor allem mit Fragen des institutionellen Wandels. Sein weiteres Interesse gilt der Geschichte der Wirtschaftstheorie.