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Economics in the Former Soviet Union

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  • Michael Alexeev
  • Clifford Gaddy
  • Jim Leitzel

Abstract

One of the most notable, but least discussed, aspects of the halting attempts during the past six years to reform the economies of the Soviet Union, and now those of its successor states, has been the prominent role played by professional economists. Not since the mid-1920s has the Soviet political leadership felt so strongly the need to draw upon the expertise of the economics profession to help determine its course of action. In this paper, we attempt to characterize the current state of economics in the former Soviet Union, investigate the implications that the condition of Soviet economics has for reform, and suggest possible future directions for the discipline. Our information comes from four main sources: professional publications of Soviet and Western economists, published remarks by Soviet economists, personal interviews and discussions which we conducted with young Soviet economists in the summers of 1990 and 1991, and a questionnaire administered to Soviet economists and graduate students in the Soviet Union.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Alexeev & Clifford Gaddy & Jim Leitzel, 1992. "Economics in the Former Soviet Union," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 137-148, Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:6:y:1992:i:2:p:137-48
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.6.2.137
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    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/jep.6.2.137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. K. Sonin & I. Khovanskaya & M. Yudkevich, 2008. "Budget Uncertainty and Faculty Contracts: A Dynamic Framework for Comparative Analysis," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 12.
    2. Ganiev, Ibragim & Djanibekov, Nodir & Hasanov, Shavkat & Petrick, Martin, 2017. "The state of doctoral research in Uzbekistan: Results of a survey of doctoral students in agricultural economics," IAMO Discussion Papers 259805, Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).
    3. Alexander Libman & Joachim Zweynert, 2014. "Ceremonial Science: The State of Russian Economics Seen Through the Lens of the Work of ‘Doctor of Science’ Candidates," Working Papers 337, Leibniz Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung (Institute for East and Southeast European Studies).
    4. Osipian, Ararat, 2004. "Facilitating economic development through the reform of economic instruction," MPRA Paper 8462, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Çokgezen, Murat & Çokgezen, Jale, 2014. "Internationalization of post-Soviet Economists: Evidence from Central Asia and the Caucasus," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 26-38.
    6. Kyui, Natalia & Radchenko, Natalia, 2021. "The changing composition of academic majors and wage dynamics: Beyond mean returns," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 358-381.
    7. Muravyev, Alexander, 2011. "О Российской Экономической Науке Сквозь Призму Публикаций Российских Ученых В Отечественных И Зарубежных Журналах За 2000-2009 Гг [Economic science in Russia through the lens of publications of Rus," MPRA Paper 30230, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Kyui, Natalia & Radchenko, Natalia, 2020. "The Changing Composition of Academic Majors and Wage Dynamics," IZA Discussion Papers 13591, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Osipian, Ararat, 2004. "Reform of Economic Instruction in the Former Soviet Bloc," MPRA Paper 7589, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Libman, Alexander & Zweynert, Joachim, 2014. "Ceremonial science: The state of Russian economics seen through the lens of the work of ‘Doctor of Science’ candidates," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 360-378.
    11. Ivan Boldyrev & Martin Kragh, 2013. "The fate of social sciences in Soviet Russia: the case of Isaak Il’ich Rubin," HSE Working papers WP BRP 17/HUM/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    12. repec:zbw:iamodp:259805 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Lokshin, Michael, 2009. "A survey of poverty research in Russia: Does it follow the scientific method?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 191-212, September.
    14. M. Kathleen Thomas & Randall C. Campbell, 2006. "Teacher Training and Market Attitudes in Transitioning Economies," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 50(2), pages 32-41, October.
    15. Coupé, Tom, 2008. "The visibility of Ukrainian economists 1969-2005," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 2114-2125, October.
    16. Mirucki, Jean, 1996. "A Visibility Analysis of the Scientific Production of Ukrainian Economists," MPRA Paper 30411, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Mirucki, Jean, 1999. "A visibility analysis of the scientific production of Ukrainian economists: 1969-94," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 185-196, July.
    18. Murat ÇOKGEZEN & Jale ÇOKGEZEN, 2014. "Internationalization of post-Soviet Economists: Evidence from Central Asia and the Caucasus," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 1(1), pages 26-38, September.
    19. Edward K. Zajicek & Todd P. Steen & S. Ryszard Domański, 1997. "The Reform of Higher Economic Education in Poland," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 377-382, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists

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