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Microeconomic Aspects of Economic Growth in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, 1950-2000

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  • Sergei Guriev
  • Barry W. Ickes

Abstract

The theme of this paper is the microeconomics of economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Newly Independent States (NIS) over the period 1950-2000. The key structural change in this region is the end of the socialist regime in 1989 and 1992, and the subsequent attempt at transition to a market economy. We begin the paper with an examination of the key legacies from the socialist period. We then examine the key microeconomic actors in transition economies: households, enterprises, and government officials. Although there are many common processes at work, differences in economic performance tend to coincide with the geographical divide. Legacies play an important part. We also argue that differences in openness also plays an important role in generating different outcomes. These factors, combined with defects in the political and legal system, have given rise to a vicious circle of resistance to reform in the NIS.

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  • Sergei Guriev & Barry W. Ickes, 2000. "Microeconomic Aspects of Economic Growth in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, 1950-2000," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 348, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    • Handle: RePEc:wdi:papers:2000-348
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    Cited by:

    1. Nauro F. Campos & Abrizio Coricelli, 2002. "Growth in Transition: What We Know, What We Don't, and What We Should," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(3), pages 793-836, September.
    2. Vladimir Popov, 2007. "Life Cycle of the Centrally Planned Economy: Why Soviet Growth Rates Peaked in the 1950s," Studies in Economic Transition, in: Saul Estrin & Grzegorz W. Kolodko & Milica Uvalic (ed.), Transition and Beyond, chapter 2, pages 35-57, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Larisa Lubarova & Oleg Petrushin & Artur Radziwill, 2000. "Is Moldova Ready to Grow? Assessment of Post-crisis Policies (1999-2000)," CASE Network Studies and Analyses 0220, CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.
    4. Masahiro TOKUNAGA, 2005. "Enterprise Restructuring in the Context of Urban Transition: Analysis of Company Towns in Russia," The Journal of Comparative Economic Studies (JCES), The Japanese Society for Comparative Economic Studies (JSCES), vol. 1, pages 79-102, July.
    5. Christa N. Brunnschweiler, 2009. "Oil and Growth in Transition Countries," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 09/108, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    6. Maxim Bouev, 2001. "Labor Supply, Informal Economy and Russian Transition," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 408, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.

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