Chinese Experience in the Introduction of a Market Mechanism into a Planned Economy: The Role of Pricing

A brief review is first presented of the changes in pricing institutions in China since 1949, with particular emphasis on the shift from an equilibrium price system to a distorted price system. The authors argue that distorted prices are harmful to economic growth even in a planned economy, since even an experienced economic planner can never escape from the full implications of a distorted price system. Examples are given showing the detrimental results of such a system. The central point of China's economic reform is the extension of decison-making power to enterprises and the introduction of a market mechanism so as to improve microeconomic efficiency. But such a goal connot easily be achieved due to the false information provided by the distorted price system. So price adjustment becomes an issue of primary importance, and the authors discuss the difficulties for price adjustment posed by various interest groups. Copyright 1989 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd