Initial conditions, policies and growth in the former Soviet bloc

Initial conditions, policies and growth in the former Soviet bloc PDF Author: Max Sahle
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3656759693
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 18

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Book Description
Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Economics - History, grade: 68%, University College London (School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies), course: Economic Development and Policy, language: English, abstract: By the late 1980s, the ever more apparent failures and shortcomings of the planned economy and the collapse of the Communist political system in almost all countries of the Soviet Block enabled dramatic changes to all parts of society and the economy. Since the market economies of Western Europe and North America were the obvious reference point, transforming the planned economies into functioning market economies became a priority. This transition would ensure a better allocation of resources as well as technological progress and innovation and foster sustainable economic growth. To achieve this, it was necessary to profoundly change the underlying structures and incentives of the planned economy. While each country embarked on its own path towards a market economy, there is little dispute as to what reforms were necessary to get the new economic system going. Following Hare these include: (1) macroeconomic stabilisation; (2) price and trade liberalization; (3) privatization and enterprise restructuring; and (4) institutional reforms. This essay examines the impact of some of these reforms on growth. It will also look into how initial conditions explain differences in growth outcomes that can’t be fully explained by policy choices. Focusing on inflation and fiscal balances, the first section will explore the role of macroeconomic stabilization in fostering growth. This is followed by section 2 and 3 which examine institutional reforms and liberalization. Section 5 takes a look at initial conditions in the form of overall development and economic distortions at the start of the transition period. Section 6 concludes and draws implications for the future.

Initial conditions, policies and growth in the former Soviet bloc

Initial conditions, policies and growth in the former Soviet bloc PDF Author: Max Sahle
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3656759693
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 18

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Book Description
Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Economics - History, grade: 68%, University College London (School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies), course: Economic Development and Policy, language: English, abstract: By the late 1980s, the ever more apparent failures and shortcomings of the planned economy and the collapse of the Communist political system in almost all countries of the Soviet Block enabled dramatic changes to all parts of society and the economy. Since the market economies of Western Europe and North America were the obvious reference point, transforming the planned economies into functioning market economies became a priority. This transition would ensure a better allocation of resources as well as technological progress and innovation and foster sustainable economic growth. To achieve this, it was necessary to profoundly change the underlying structures and incentives of the planned economy. While each country embarked on its own path towards a market economy, there is little dispute as to what reforms were necessary to get the new economic system going. Following Hare these include: (1) macroeconomic stabilisation; (2) price and trade liberalization; (3) privatization and enterprise restructuring; and (4) institutional reforms. This essay examines the impact of some of these reforms on growth. It will also look into how initial conditions explain differences in growth outcomes that can’t be fully explained by policy choices. Focusing on inflation and fiscal balances, the first section will explore the role of macroeconomic stabilization in fostering growth. This is followed by section 2 and 3 which examine institutional reforms and liberalization. Section 5 takes a look at initial conditions in the form of overall development and economic distortions at the start of the transition period. Section 6 concludes and draws implications for the future.

Circumstance and Choice: The Role of Initial Conditions and Policies in Transition Economies

Circumstance and Choice: The Role of Initial Conditions and Policies in Transition Economies PDF Author: Alan Gelb
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
December 1997 Initial conditions and economic policy jointly determine the large differences in economic performance among transition economies in Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Initial contions dominate in explaining inflation, but economic liberalization is the most important factor determining differences in growth. But reform policy choices are not exogenous. Liberalization depends, in turn, on both initial conditions and political reform. The experience of countries in transition from a planned to a market-oriented economy has varied greatly. The clearest differences are between the East Asian countries, China and Vietnam, and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the former Soviet Union (FSU). China and Vietnam have contained inflation and benefited from continued high growth in GDP since the beginning of their reforms, while all CEE and FSU countries have experienced large declines in output, and most have experienced hyperinflation. But even in CEE and the FSU, differences are marked. Some countries have lost over half of their GDP, and growth performance in a number of countries is still poor, while others are growing strongly. Some are still suffering from high inflation while others have successfully reduced annual inflation. What determines this divergence of outcomes across transition countries? No study so far has analyzed the interaction of all factors, including initial conditions, political change, and reforms, in a unified framework including CEE, the FSU, China, and Vietnam. De Melo, Denizer, Gelb, and Tenev examine these broader interactions, but focus first on the role of initial conditions, such as initial macroeconomic distortions and differences in economic structure and institutions, which have been emphasized less in the literature. They find that intial conditions and economic policy jointly determine the large differences in economic performance among the 28 transition economies in the sample. Initiate conditions dominate in explaining inflation, but economic liberalization is the most important factor determining differences in growth. But reform policy choices are not exogenous. They depend, in turn, on both initial conditions and political reform, with political reform the most important determinant of the speed and comprehensiveness of economic liberalization. Other findings provide additional insight into these relationships. Results show that liberalization has a negative contemporaneous impact, but a stronger positive effect on performance over time. The results also show that macroeconomic and structural distortions are negatively related to both policy and performance. Regarding the former, unfavorable initial conditions discourage policy reforms but do not diminish their effectiveness once they are implemented. The authors find some evidence that the influence of initial conditions diminishes over time. This is in part because many of the initial conditions are themselves modified in the course of transition. Monetary overhangs are dissipated through inflation, industrial overhang is eroded as plants shut down, and market memory returns through experience. This paper-a product of the Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to provide a comparative overview of the experience with the transition from central planning to a market economy.

Transition and Beyond

Transition and Beyond PDF Author: S. Estrin
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230590322
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
This book covers a wide variety of aspects of transition in Central and Southeast Europe and the CIS, including the socialist legacy, privatization and growth, skills, and banking reforms. It also covers the evolution of the global economy beyond transition, looking at complexity, risk management, the optimal transition path, and globalization.

Transition, the First Ten Years

Transition, the First Ten Years PDF Author: Pradeep Mitra
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821350386
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
The wide variation in transition economies raises questions about differences in economic growth, the applicability of transition policies, and the advantages of economic reform. This report seeks to answer these questions.

Income, Inequality, and Poverty During the Transition from Planned to Market Economy

Income, Inequality, and Poverty During the Transition from Planned to Market Economy PDF Author: Branko Milanovi?
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821339947
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
World Bank Technical Paper No. 394. Joint Forest Management (JFM) has emerged as an important intervention in the management of Indias forest resources. This report sets out an analytical method for examining the costs and benefits of JFM arrangements. Two pilot case studies in which the method was used demonstrate interesting outcomes regarding incentives for various groups to participate. The main objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the incentives for communities to participate in JFM.

The Development of Capitalism in Russia

The Development of Capitalism in Russia PDF Author: Vladimir I. Lenin
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781410213006
Category : Capitalism
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
CONTENTS The Development of Capitalism in Russia The Theoretical Mistakes of the Narodnik Economists The Differentiation of the Peasantry The Landowners' Transition from Corvée to Capitalist Economy The Growth of Commercial Agriculture The First Stages of Capitalism in Industry Capitalist Manufacture and Capitalist Domestic Industry The Development of Large-Scale Machine Industry The Formation of the Home Market

The Former Soviet Union in Transition

The Former Soviet Union in Transition PDF Author: United States. Congress. Joint Economic Committee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 476

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Book Description


Regional Economic Issues--Special Report 25 Years of Transition

Regional Economic Issues--Special Report 25 Years of Transition PDF Author: Mr.James Roaf
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498332188
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 72

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Book Description
The past 25 years have seen a dramatic transformation in Europe’s former communist countries, resulting in their reintegration with the global economy, and, in most cases, major improvements in living standards. But the task of building full market economies has been difficult and protracted. Liberalization of trade and prices came quickly, but institutional reforms—such as governance reform, competition policy, privatization and enterprise restructuring—often faced opposition from vested interests. The results of the first years of transition were uneven. All countries suffered high inflation and major recessions as prices were freed and old economic linkages broke down. But the scale of output losses and the time taken for growth to return and inflation to be brought under control varied widely. Initial conditions and external factors played a role, but policies were critical too. Countries that undertook more front-loaded and bold reforms were rewarded with faster recovery and income convergence. Others were more vulnerable to the crises that swept the region in the wake of the 1997 Asia crisis.

Revelations from the Russian Archives

Revelations from the Russian Archives PDF Author: Diane P. Koenker
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781780393803
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 836

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Book Description


Quality Of Life In The Soviet Union

Quality Of Life In The Soviet Union PDF Author: Horst Herlemann
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000308812
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 175

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Book Description
"Quality of life" is a difficult concept to define, and particularly so when referring to the Soviet Union because Westerners have many preconceptions about Soviet living conditions. This volume goes a long way toward illuminating the realities of daily Soviet life and stands as an important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet Union. Contributors focus primarily on the relation of quality of life to living conditions but also discuss the quality and availability of state-provided services such as education, health care, and housing. Of special interest is their coverage of problems in Soviet society, including working conditions in factories, living conditions in rural areas, alcohol abuse, and the status of the elderly. Together these essays show that although the Soviet government has made great strides in improving the living conditions of its citizens, Soviet living standards and services are relatively poor by Western standards and several important social problems continue to burden the Soviet people.