Following the highly successful Economies in Transition: A guide to China, Cuba, Mongolia, North Korea and Vietnam at the turn of the twenty-first century (published in the Routledge Studies in Development Economics series), Eastern Europe at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: A guide to the economies in transition and The Former Yugoslavia at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: A guide to the economies in transition, this book is the second of two (following The Caucasus and Central Asian Republics at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: A guide to the economies in transition) which...

The rapid changes in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union are often bewildering, with many frequent, highly significant changes in the different sectors of the economy and the political system. There have been frequent changes of personnel in government and economic management and many changes have been reversed - and sometimes forgotten, or at other times reinstated. What happened when? Who was responsible for what? Did such a change in one sector precede or follow a particular change elsewhere? These are points not easily remembered. This book provides full details of the many...

China's role in global events today cannot be overestimated.

This book provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of contemporary political developments in China. Key topics covered include: China's international relations with its neighbours and with the international community more widely; demographic developments; Taiwan; Macao and Hong Kong, Tibet, Uighurs; human rights, health issues (including bird flu); food contamination and defective goods; and a chronology of political developments, congresses and Central Committee sessions since May 2006; the earthquake of 12 May...

This book provides full details of contemporary economic and political developments in Vietnam. It continues the overview of developments up to late 2005 which were covered in the author's Vietnam: a guide to economic and political developments (also published by Routledge, 2006). Key topics covered include Vietnam's success, in general, in maintaining high rates of growth in the face of problems such as inflation and the global financial crisis, continuing economic reforms, foreign trade and investment, battles against corruption, population growth, the determination of the Communist Party...

This book provides a comprehensive overview of Russia's difficult economic transition from a command economy since the early 1990s. It covers the financial crisis of August 1998 and the global financial crisis a decade later. Key subjects covered include economic transition, privatization and liberalization; changes in land ownership and agriculture; energy; foreign direct investment; economic stabilization; and economic performance. Russia is well endowed with raw materials, especially oil and natural gas; this book argues that in some ways this has not helped Russia's attempts to become a...

This book provides a comprehensive overview of political developments in Russia since late 2000, following on from where the author's previous publication, The New Russia, left off. It covers all aspects of politics including the highly centralized nature of power in Russia, central government and presidential elections, regional government and developments in the republics, including unrest in Chechnya and the other Caucasian republics, and human rights. Taking a chronological approach, it shows how politics overall has changed over the period, including how the relationship between Prime...

Ian Jeffries provides a full account of the key political and economic events in Mongolia, focusing on the period since the establishment of the Soviet-backed Mongolian People's Republic in 1924 and the transition towards a democratic free market system since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Jeffries gives details of economic and political developments from the Vietnam War, through to the collapse of communism and economic reform. He traces developments since the end of the Vietnam War, including economic reforms, the politics of the Communist Party, and the re-establishment of relations with the United States.

Offering a unique level of coverage, this book provides a comprehensive survey of the political and economic development of the countries of the former Soviet Union from the mid-1990s onwards.

There is much intense interest in North Korea at present. This partly arises from questions about Korea's nuclear capability and intentions, and about the extent to which North Korea may be viewed as 'a rogue state' or part of 'the axis of evil'. In addition, however, North Korea has recently begun experimenting with reforms along Chinese lines. The vigour with which these will be pursued, and related questions about the degree of engagement, or otherwise, with South Korea are also important issues. This book provides full details of economic and political developments in North Korea since...