Comparing Economic Systems
A Political-Economic Approach
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Comparing Economic Systems: A Political-Economic Approach presents a political-economic approach to the analysis and comparison of different types of economic systems. Full, integrated political-economic case studies of several representative countries, including Japan, Sweden, and France, are given. This book consists of six parts and begins with an overview of some definitions of the main kinds of political and economic systems; theoretical arguments from various points of view about how political and economic systems relate to each other; and the criteria for evaluating different political-economic systems. The next section considers three essentially market capitalist systems: Japan, Sweden, and France. The Soviet Union, a centrally planned, allegedly socialist economy, is examined next. More specifically, Soviet development from 1917 to 1928 and from 1928 to the present is discussed. Central planning in developing countries such as China and Cuba is also explored. Finally, the theory of market socialism is analyzed, citing the cases of Hungary and Yugoslavia. This monograph will be of value to politicians, economists, and economic policymakers.
Table of Contents
Preface
Part One. Introduction
1. Political and Economic Systems
Plan of the Book
The Political-Economic Approach
Socialism and Capitalism
Democracy and Dictatorship
Developed and Underdeveloped Economies
Hypotheses Concerning Politics and Economics
Comparing Economic Systems
Controversies among Comparative Economists
Recommended Readings
Part Two. Market Economies and the Government
2. Japan. Business and Government Coordination
Background
Corporate Structure and Finance
Household Savings
Labor Market Institutions
Role of the State
Summary and Conclusion
Recommended Readings
3. Sweden. The Middle Way
Background
Social Services and Benefits
The Cooperative Sector
Industrial Democracy
Labor Market Characteristics and Policies
Fiscal Policy
Monetary Policy
Supply Management
Capital Formation
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
4. France. Indicative Planning
The Monnet Plan
Performance of the First Plan
Later Plans
Performance of Planned Goals
The Socialist Government of Mitterrand (1981-)
Different Views of Planning and Management
Managing the Nationalized Firms
Macro Performance under the Mitterrand Government
Recommended Readings
Part Three. Central Planning: The Soviet Case
Soviet Economic Institutions: Differences from the United States
Government Ownership of Industry
Government Ownership of Agriculture
Central Planning
Central Planning and the University
Public Health, Education, and Housing
Soviet Economie Institutions: Similarities to the United States
Plan of Part Three
5. USSR. Development from 1917 to 1928
Russia before 1917
Political Evolution, 1905-1917
War Communism
Political Evolution, 1917-1921
Socioeconomic Causes of Soviet Dictatorship
The New Economic Policy
Beginnings of NEP (1921-1923)
The Scissors Crisis (1923-1924)
The End of NEP (1924-1928)
The Great Debate
The Stalinist Solution
Recommended Readings
6. USSR. Development from 1928 to the Present
Political History, 1928 to 1956
Political Development, 1956 to the Present
Soviet Ideology: Democracy and Dictatorship
The First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932)
The Second Five-Year Plan (1933-1937)
The Third Five-Year Plan (1938-1941)
Growth in the 1930s
The Second World War (1941-1945)
Reconstruction (1945-1950)
Soviet Economic Growth, 1950 to the Present
The Political-Ethical Issues: Consumption Vs. Investment
A Statistical Overview of Soviet and U.S. Growth Since 1950
Why the Soviet Economy Has Grown Faster Than the U.S. Economy
The Decline of Soviet Growth Rates
The Slowdown in Soviet Growth
Appendix 6A. Problems with Soviet Statistics
Appendix 6B. Soviet vs. U.S. "Defense Spending"
7. USSR. The Operation of Central Planning
Forms of Enterprise
The Ministry System
The Organization of the Planning Mechanism
The Price System
The Second Economy
Appendix 7A. Soviet Planning for International Trade
Method of Planning International Trade
The Volume of Trade
Recommended Readings
Recommended Readings for Appendix
8. USSR. Planning for Balance
Aggregate Balance
No General Unemployment
Causes of Inflation
The Lack of Balance and Its Cure
Problems of Coordination
Input-Output Method
Problems of the Soviet Balance Method
Limitations of Input-Output Method
Appendix 8A. The Input-Output Technique
Recommended Readings
9. USSR. Planning for Efficiency
Need for Rational Prices
Optimal Conditions and Planning
Information and Computation Problems
Central and Decentralized Solutions
A Tentative Summary of Conclusions
The "Law of Value" in the Soviet Union
Prices and Efficiency
Summary of the Planning Debate
Choice of Technology
Decision Making, Democracy, and Efficiency
Appendix 9A. Linear Programming in the Soviet Context
An Example
Recommended Readings
10. USSR. Class Structure: Rulers, Managers, Workers, and Farmers
The Soviet Ruling Class
Mobility
Soviet Income Distribution and Inequality
Stratification of the Soviet Working Class
Soviet Managers
Soviet Industrial Workers
Soviet Agricultural Workers
Appendix 10A. Trade Unions
Soviet Trade Unions
Polish Trade Unions
U.S. Trade Unions
Recommended Readings
11. USSR. Reform and Regression, After 1965
Political Background of Reform
Economic Problems Leading to Reform
Problems of the Soviet Enterprise
The Liberman Debate
Official Reforms
What Happened to the Reforms?
Continuing Contradictions
Recommended Readings
Part Four. Central Planning: The Developing Countries
12. China. A Changing Model
Background
Economic Development and the Transformation of the Chinese Economy
The Cultural Revolution
The Post-Mao Reforms
Industrial Reform
Agricultural Reform
Reform Problems
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
13. Cuba. Socialism Next Door
Background
Early Development Strategy
Planning in the 1960s
Economic Change, 1970-1975
Economic Change Since 1975
Achievements of the Cuban Revolution
Soviet Economic Aid
Prospects
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
Part Five. Market Socialism
14. The Theory of Market Socialism
The Economics of Market Socialism
Alternative Market Socialist Models
Recommended Readings
15. Hungary. Plan and Market
Background
Early Economic Reform
The New Economic Mechanism
NEM: The Second Phase
Evaluation
Recommended Readings
16. Yugoslavia. Self-Management and the Market
Early Economic Policy: The Emergence of the Yugoslav Model
Economic Reforms of 1965
Income Distribution
The Economic Theory of Worker Management
Yugoslav Worker Management in Practice
The Reforms of the 1970s
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
Part Six. Conclusion
17. Comparing Economic Systems
General Remarks
Evaluating Performance
Methodology
Criteria and Performance
Final Remarks
Appendix 17A. A Controlled Comparison: East and West Germany
Per Capita Income and Growth
Efficiency
Stability
Income Distribution
Other Criteria
Recommended Readings
Index
Product details
- No. of pages: 496
- Language: English
- Copyright: © Academic Press 1984
- Published: January 1, 1984
- Imprint: Academic Press
- eBook ISBN: 9781483260938