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Why the Transition from Communism Is So Difficult

Author

Listed:
  • Mancur Olson, Jr.

    (University of Maryland)

Abstract

After the defeat of fascism, there were economic miracles, but after the collapse of communism, economic performance has been poor. This address develops a theory of power that explains this difference and other puzzles. When those with power have an encompassing stake in society, they have an incentive to make it productive. When those with power have only a narrow interest in society, their incentive is to seek redistributions without concern for social costs. After fascism, the encompassing interests of majorities prevailed, whereas after communism narrow interests, such as large and uneconomic state enterprises, have had disproportionate political influence.

Suggested Citation

  • Mancur Olson, Jr., 1995. "Why the Transition from Communism Is So Difficult," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 21(4), pages 437-461, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:21:y:1995:i:4:p:437-461
    as

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    File URL: http://web.holycross.edu/RePEc/eej/Archive/Volume21/V21N4P437_461.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Weede Erich, 2001. "Südkorea und Rußland: Wie man Wohlstand erarbeitet oder verspielt," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 52(1), pages 175-188, January.
    2. Kenneth Koford, 2000. "Citizen Restraints on “Leviathan” Government: Transition Politics in Bulgaria," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 30-62.
    3. Bulir, Ales, 1998. "Business Cycle in Czechoslovakia under Central Planning: Were Credit Shocks Causing It?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 226-245, June.
    4. Nikolay Nenovsky & Yorgos Rizopoulos, 2004. "Peut-on mesurer le changement institutionnel du régime monétaire ?," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 75(2), pages 17-36.
    5. Bryant, Coralie, 1996. "Strategic change through sensible projects," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(9), pages 1539-1550, September.
    6. Nikolay Nenovsky & Yorgos Rizopoulos, 2004. "Measuring the Institutional Change of the Monetary Regime in a Political Economy Perspective (Groups of interest and monetary variables during the Currency Board introduction in Bulgaria)," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp732, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    7. Neyapti, Bilin, 2001. "Central bank independence and economic performance in eastern Europe," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 381-399, December.
    8. John Marangos, 2011. "Social Change versus Transition: The Political Economy of Institutions and Transitional Economies," Forum for Social Economics, Springer;The Association for Social Economics, vol. 40(1), pages 119-137, April.
    9. Li, Dan & Ferreira, Manuel Portugal, 2011. "Institutional environment and firms' sources of financial capital in Central and Eastern Europe," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 371-376, April.
    10. Nenovsky, Nikolay, 2015. "The Soviets monetary experience (1917 – 1924) through the perspective of the discussion on unity and diversity of money," MPRA Paper 79864, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Koford, Kenneth, 2000. "Citizen restraints on "Leviathan" government: transition politics in Bulgaria," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 307-338, June.
    12. Wolfgang Gerstenberger & Joachim Jungfer & Heinz Schmalholz, 2002. "Standortbedingungen in Polen, Tschechien und Ungarn und die Position Sachsens im Standortwettbewerb : Gutachten im Auftrag der Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH," ifo Dresden Studien, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 33.
    13. Peter J. Boettke & Ennio Piano, 2016. "Baumol’s productive and unproductive entrepreneurship after 25 years," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(2), pages 130-144, August.
    14. Lazarev, Valery & Gregory, Paul, 2003. "Commissars and cars: A case study in the political economy of dictatorship," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 1-19, March.
    15. John Marangos, 2005. "A Political Economy Approach to the Neoclassical Gradualist Model of Transition," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 263-293, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Communism;

    JEL classification:

    • P21 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Planning, Coordination, and Reform

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