Synopses & Reviews
The transformation provisions have brought about a replacement of the planning system by a capitalist market system. This change engendered many positive results, but at high social costs. Some results, such as a dramatic decline in output and a decline in the standard of living have been transitory, but unemployment, widening of income inequalities, weakening of social programs and expansion of poverty are permanent features of the new system. This book examines the active employment policy and its effect, especially focusing on the social costs of transformation. It analyzes the reasons for the expansion of poverty and the chances of reducing it. Great attention is devoted to the reforms of pension and health care system. This book also discusses the performance of the economies of subject countries and gives a critical evaluation of privatization, primarily of the Czech voucher privatization.
Review
The book... will be particularly useful for serious researchers and graduate students.
Choice
Synopsis
List of Tables Acknowledgements Preface List of Abbreviations PART I: INTRODUCTION Strategy of Transformation to a Market Economy PART II: PERFORMANCE OF THE TRANSFORMING ECONOMIES Common and Contrasting Features of the Transition Transition to a Market Economy in Poland Czech Transition to a Market Economy Transition to a Market Economy in Hungary Privatisation PART III: SOCIAL COSTS OF TRANSFORMATION Unemployment Standard of Living Social Policy Poverty Conclusions Bibliography Index
Synopsis
This book deals primarily with social costs of transformation to a market economy in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The transformation provisions have negatively affected the well-being of the population. They brought about unemployment, a phenomenon which did not exist in the previous, communist system, increased income inequities, reduced social programmes and expanded poverty. All these phenomena are examined in this book. In addition, the book discusses the strategy of transformation, privatisation and the economic performance of the three countries.
Synopsis
This book focuses on the social costs of transformation from the planned economic system to the capitalist system in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Adam (economics, U. of Calgary, Canada) introduces the basics of transformation to a market economy as well as the resultant performances of her three case study nations. She then discusses the social costs of transformation in detail, investigating unemployment, the standard of living and economic inequality, the weakening of social programs, and poverty.
Synopsis
This book examines the active employment policy and its effect, especially focusing on the social costs of transformation.
About the Author
Jan Adam is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Calgary.
Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction * Strategy of Transformation to a Market Economy *
Part II: The Performance of the Transforming Economies * Common and Contrasting Features of the Transition * Transition to a Market Economy in Poland * Czech Transition to a Market Economy * Transition to a Market Economy in Hungary * Privatization *
Part III: The Social Costs of Transformation * Unemployment * The Standard of Living * Social Policy * Poverty * Conclusions * Index