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  • Open Access
  • © 2024

Roadblocks to the Socialist Modernization Path and Transition

Evidence from East Germany and Poland

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Explores institutional change and how it is impacted by economic transition

  • Examines how the role of entrepreneurship changed during the transition from socialist to capitalist economies

  • Highlights the relationship between technical progress, productivity, and economic growth

  • This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access

Part of the book series: Studies in Economic Transition (SET)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Development and Modernization Under Socialism and After: An Introduction

    • Jutta Günther, Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast, Udo Ludwig, Hans-Jürgen Wagener
    Pages 1-31Open Access
  3. The Influence of Technical Progress on Economic Growth in the GDR

    • Udo Ludwig, Ann Hipp, Kehinde Medase
    Pages 63-90Open Access
  4. Historical Legacies of Regional Innovation Activity: The Case of East and West Germany

    • Michael Fritsch, Maria Greve, Michael Wyrwich
    Pages 91-111Open Access
  5. Inefficiency and Lack of Transparency in GDR Foreign Trade

    • Hans-Jürgen Wagener
    Pages 147-172Open Access
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 327-331

About this book

This open access book examines how different economic systems impacted the development of East Germany and Poland. Through comparing these countries while they were centrally planned socialist economies with the periods when they transitioned to capitalism, the inability of socialist economies to modernize effectively and produce sustained economic growth is highlighted. Particular attention is given the role of technological progress in economic growth, peculiar institutions, the creation and transfer of knowledge, and post-socialist transformations.

The book presents a detailed analysis of the barriers to modernization and growth implied by Soviet-type state socialism and the differences and similarities between the transition of East Germany and Poland to capitalist market economies. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in comparative systems and the political economy.


Keywords

  • Post-socialist transformations
  • Socialist elites
  • Transfer of knowledge
  • Entrepreneurial talent
  • Radical institutional change
  • Economic modernization
  • Structural change and innovation
  • Technological progress
  • Macroeconomic transformation
  • Open Access

Editors and Affiliations

  • Chair of Economics of Innovation and Structural Change, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Jutta Günther

  • Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

    Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast

  • Halle Institute for Economic Research, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Udo Ludwig

  • Emeritus Faculty of Economics, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

    Hans-Jürgen Wagener

About the editors

Jutta Günther is Professor of Economics at the University of Bremen.

Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast is Professor of Economics at the European University Viadrina.

Udo Ludwig is a Researcher at the Halle Institute for Economic Research and an Emeritus Honorary Professor at Leipzig University.

Hans-Jürgen Wagener is an Emeritus Professor at the European University Viadrina.


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Roadblocks to the Socialist Modernization Path and Transition

  • Book Subtitle: Evidence from East Germany and Poland

  • Editors: Jutta Günther, Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast, Udo Ludwig, Hans-Jürgen Wagener

  • Series Title: Studies in Economic Transition

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37050-2

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Economics and Finance, Economics and Finance (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2024

  • License: CC BY

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-37049-6Published: 28 September 2023

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-37052-6Published: 28 September 2023

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-37050-2Published: 27 September 2023

  • Series ISSN: 2662-6675

  • Series E-ISSN: 2662-6683

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVI, 331

  • Number of Illustrations: 22 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Political Economy/Economic Systems, Industries, European Economics, Institutional/Evolutionary Economics

Buy it now

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access