Two decades have now passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and it is now an excellent time to take stock on how the transition process has turned out for the economies that have moved from central planning.

This new handbook assembles a team of leading experts to explore the major themes that have characterized the period. After identifying the nature of initial conditions and the strength and weaknesses of institutions, the varying paths countries have taken are fully analyzed from the shock financial therapy, privatization and ethnic strife of the early years to the burning issues...