Perestroyka and Soviet Statistics

The impact of perestroyka and glasnost' on the diversity and credibility of statistical coverage of the Soviet economy is discussed and analyzed. Included in the up-to-date review of such topics as reform desiderata, the institutional anatomy, key problem areas, criticism and control, and rapid advances in the release of previously unavailable statistics, is a detailed chronicle of pertinent developments since April, 1985. It is suggested that very little improvement has been observed in the quality and reliability of Soviet economic statistics, particularly in the area of prices and in the methodology of national income accounting. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 052, 124, 221, 225, 227.     

Perestroyka and the Slavic Regions

The paper examines the effects and significance of geographic position, cumulative advantages and disadvantages of past development, present investment cuts, political factors and links, and two recent decrees on enterprises, regional self-management, and the devolution of authority in selected Slavic regions. It argues that structural and spatial constraints and system-preserving controls on the reforms themselves have rendered perestroyka ineffectual and accentuated “center-periphery” tensions within the Slavic republics, Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 052, 124, 940.     

Labor Problems in Light of Perestroyka

A number of fundamental labor-related problems to be addressed in perestroyka is outlined by the Director of the Economics Research Institute of Gosplan. The initial presentation covers worker apathy, lack of discipline, poor correspondence between wages and the importance and skill level of various occupations, and unemployment and retraining. As a participant in the first joint Soviet Economy roundtable, he then responds to questions by American participants, a distinguished economist and an eminent political scientist, on the role of cooperatives in absorbing surplus labor displaced by restructuring, and how responsibility for re-employment of dismissed employees will be delegated. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 124, 800.     

Perestroyka and the Congress of People's Deputies

The radical economic reform promised by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 has not materialized, and the economic situation has seriously deteriorated since 1988. The government is introducing a stabilization package for 1990 to restore financial balance and to dramatically expand the supply of consumer goods. A new Reform Commission chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Abalkin is moving ahead to design and implement a reform strategy which will include a radically different approach to property rights. The next year is critical to determining the fate of Gorbachev's reform efforts. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 027, 052, 113.     

Supporters and Opponents of Perestroyka: The Second Joint Soviet Economy Roundtable

Support and opposition to perestroyka in the USSR and the U.S. are discussed on the eve of Academician Andrey Sakharov's trip to the U.S. in November 1988. Participating in the roundtable are leading Soviet economists, historians, philosophers, publishers and journalists as well as American Sovietologists. Different perspectives are offered on resistance to perestroyka and its origins, on concepts of change, the constitutional revisions in prospect, the pace and scope of the reform and the nationalities issue. Selected statements, notably those of Andrey Sakharov, are of historical significance. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 027, 124.     

Panel on the Economic and Political Consequences of Chernobyl'

This article summarizes a discussion by a panel of leading experts on Soviet energy analyzing the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl' nuclear plant in the Ukraine on April 26, 1986.

The near-term economic costs associated with clean-up, relocation, and compensating for losses to electricity supplies are significant but manageable. The longer-term effects will focus on likely modifications in Soviet strategies for the nuclear industry, which may shift emphasis back towards conventional fuels and conservation.

The political consequences were managed fairly well by the leadership. Consistent with Secretary Gorbachev's policy of glasnost' (openness) more information has been available on this event than was the case in previous analogous situations. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 027, 124, 723.     

Reflections on Technology in Postwar Reconstruction

A debate on the pattern of technological advance in the Soviet economy after World War II reflects some differences between a distinguished American specialist and two eminent Soviet economists participating in the first joint Soviet Economy roundtable. The discussion covers observations on obsolescence in Soviet consumer goods industries, technology transfers to China, a former emphasis on new construction at the expense of existing capacity, and contradictory aspects and tangible advances in Soviet technology during postwar reconstruction. Also included is Academician Abalkin's comment on technological progress in the context of economic history from the 1920s through the postwar period and perestroyka. journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 052, 124, 621.     

Rapid Growth and Structural Inconsistencies in China

China has realised excellent rapid economic growth for the last 27 years following Taiwan and Korea, which maintained rapid growth for nearly 40 years. This has mainly been achieved by extraordinary high fixed assets investment, especially investment in real assets, as well as export expansion. However, new structural contradictions have emerged. They include workers laid off through downsizing of state-owned corporations, non-privileged farmers who have migrated into cities, and landless peasants. China is now at a turning point for the central government to drastically transform existing fiscal institutions in order to redistribute the dividends of high economic growth to the poor and poor areas, against the trinity of local bureaucracy, real estate developers, and state-owned banks.     

发展中的越南旅游业

越南旅游业起步虽晚,但发展速度却相当快,发展优势十分明显.资金不足和管理不善是制约越南旅游业发展的主要因素,这两大问题若能解决,越南旅游业定会走上一个新台阶.     

软件及服务业对印度经济增长的影响

印度软件产业的成功在于找到了一条适合自己发展的道路,即在国际软件产业分工链上,利用自己的绝对成本优势和比较优势,先在价值链的低端站稳脚跟,然后逐步实现向高端的转移.但是印度软件产业的发展依然不足以充当印度经济增长的引擎,无论从软件产业自身的规模还是创造的就业岗位来看,它还不具备这个实力.     

Globalization and the Growth in Free Trade Agreements

In this article, Professor Shujiro Urata of the School of Social Sciences at Waseda University and of the Research Institute for Economy, Trade and Industry, gives an overview of the various types of regional trade agreements (RTAs), and examines the background to the growing trend towards regionalism in the 1990s. Focussing on the surge in free trade agreements (FTA), he explains why FTAs have become more popular than multilateral trade liberalization under the WTO. He describes the different types and characteristics of RTAs, the economic effects of FTAs including the static and dynamic effects, and their significance for the global and Japanese economies. He concludes that if Japan does not actively participate in FTAs, and instead chooses to ''cherry pick'' from the full range of agenda items, there is a danger that it will not be considered by other countries as a worthwhile FTA partner. If so, Japan will suffer the consequences of being excluded from other FTAs.     

东亚经济合作的进展及其对地区经济增长的影响

当前,东亚经济合作已经成为一个引人瞩目的议题,由东盟十国和中、日、韩三国组成的东亚"10 3"合作框架正在向制度化方向发展,这是一种南南型与南北型合作模式相结合的混合型合作模式,对东亚地区的经济增长将起到重要的作用.本文在对相关概念进行界定的基础上,对东亚经济合作的发展进程进行了回顾,对合作各方,特别是中国与日本这两个大国的作用和动机进行了详细分析,并且对"10 3"框架内的南南型和南北型合作的内容及其对地区经济增长的影响进行了探讨.     

美国的借贷型经济增长模式及其对中国的影响

美国经济是以消费为主导的经济。这种主要依靠借贷消费的经济增长模式,反映出美国经济金融结构的严重失衡。这种经济增长模式已经通过双边贸易、美元以及金融市场对中国经济金融产生了重大的负面影响。为此,中国必须调整经济发展战略,以便在融入经济全球化的过程中特别是在中美经济贸易往来中更好地趋利避害。     

东盟内部的科技合作:成就与问题

推进东盟内部的科技合作与发展始终是东盟组织所坚持的一个基本目标,东盟已经为此做出了积极努力并取得了很大成绩.但是,由于其现行科技管理机制不完善、各成员国之间经济和科技发展水平悬殊、科技需求的不一以及决策方式上的问题,东盟组织在推进内部科技合作方面所起的作用是有限的.     

欧盟信息通讯技术产业政策述评

作为当代高新技术产业群中最活跃、最具渗透力的部门,信息通讯技术(ICT)产业对于欧盟经济的竞争力和发展前景尤为关键,而不断提高其竞争力正是欧盟ICT产业政策的目标所在。本文旨在对欧盟层面ICT产业政策的发展、内容和效果进行分析与评价。分析表明,欧盟ICT产业政策的确取得了一些实效,但至今仍未能改变其ICT产业整体竞争力及对劳动生产率增长的贡献长期低于美国的局面。近几年来,该政策正在由分散走向整合、由专注于供给转向供求兼顾、由温和转向力度加大,这一转变能否在未来取得实效,将成为欧盟能否保持和提升经济竞争力、成功向信息社会转型的关键。另外,强调尊重欧洲基本价值观和欧洲经济社会模式使得该政策具有了典型的欧盟特色,值得他国关注与思考。