Publisher's Synopsis
The transition to capitalism in former socialist economies is one of the main economic events of the last decade. Besides affecting approximately 1.65 billion people, it is contributing to a shift in emphasis in economics from standard price and monetary theory to contracting and its institutional environment. Economic research in transition shows not only that institutions matter but also how their evolution toward higher efficiency depends on initial conditions and on sustained political support. Unlike early policy literature on transition economics, which focused on the so-called Washington consensus, this book provides an overview of current research, analysing issues raised by transition for which economic theorists and policy makers had no ready answers. It shows how research on transition contributes to our understanding of capitalism as an economic system and of the dynamics of large-scale institutional change. No other book presents a comprehensive theory to explain the difference between private and public enterprises.;Although focused on transition economics, the discussion is relevant to topics in political economics, development, public economics, corporate finance and micro- and macroeconomics.
