Overview

This volume provides an up-to-date account of how the process of economic transition in Eastern Europe is unfolding from the point of view of Eastern European economists assessing their native economies. The authors have personally experienced the frustrations of the previous Stalinist system of central planning and public ownership, as well as the difficulties and pitfalls of designing new systems based on markets and private ownership. The book focuses on the three countries of Eastern Europe leading the reform efforts--Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland--and points out similarities and differences in their reform strategies. Although the stories of economic change in Eastern Europe have dominated news headlines, the real challenges of designing and maintaining viable economies are just beginning. The analysis in this volume will be of interest to those in the academic and policy-making communities.