Capitalism with a Comrade's Face
Roman Frydman, New York University, CEU Privatization
Project.
Kenneth Murphy, CEU Privatization Project.
Andrzej Rapaczynski, Columbia University, CEU
Privatization Project.
"Excellent reading. Suitable for anyone interested
in post-communist studies." - Choice
"Those looking for a sharper insight into what makes
post-communist countries tick are well-served by this
snappily-written examination of the central questions...
the authors range well beyond narrow economic analysis...
nicely spiced with real-life examples." - The Economist
"One cannot help but heap praises upon the authors
of this lively book. Simply put, this is one of the
best and most readable books available which explains
why the post-Communist transition has been such a bumpy
ride." - Central Europe Review (full
text)
Are nations that are journeying away from communism
succeeding in becoming free-market democracies? In what
ways do decades of totalitarian rule continue to distort
the institu-tional shape of these societies? Which of
communism's legacies may remain as permanent features
of their landscape? In an effort to answer these questions,
Roman Frydman, Kenneth Murphy, and Andrzej Rapaczynski
analyze the turbulent transitions that have taken place
in the post-Communist world since the revolutions of
1989-1991.
Each of the essays in this collection dissects the
institutional upheaval in a particular institution in
transition, such as central banking, the trade union
movement, capital markets, or corporate govern-ance.
In a lively and accessible style, the authors bring
out the links between what was and what will be in the
social fabric of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet
Union. They expose the fragility of political and economic
institutions that can easily threaten the region's rebirth,
but they also believe that many post-Communist countries
are successfully seizing the opportunity to become reunited
with the West and the global economy.
With both sweeping perspective and critical depth,
Frydman, Murphy, and Rapaczynski show the wide range
of institutional improvisations under way. They weigh
the advantages and disadvantages of different reform
strategies and assess the role of politics in fostering
or arresting the process of transformation. Each essay
illuminates the pro-found difficulties of reconciling
the needs of economic development with the special interests
fighting for their survival.
Contents
Chapter 1: Privatization Chapter 2: Capitalism
with a comrade's face Chapter 3: Privatization
and two of its enemies Chapter 4: Solidarity
no more: reinventing trade union Chapter 5: Capital
punishment: inflation, banks and the transition Chapter
6: Financing the future: development of capital
markets Chapter 7: Social insecurity Chapter
8: The trade winds shift Chapter 9: The power
brokers Chapter 10: Struggling to escape: infrastructure
in the transition Chapter 11: The taxman cometh
1998
304 pages
ISBN 978-963-9116-06-1 cloth $49.95 /€42.95/£31.00
ISBN 978-963-9116-11-5 paperback $21.95 /€16.99/ £15.99
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