This course provides historical background to the Soviet and East European economies between 1950-1990; institutional features of Soviet type economies (balanced planning, pricing, success indicators, etc); patterns of economic performance under communism; conceptual approaches to transformation and elements in the process of transformation; development of capital markets; foreign investment; EU enlargement; case studies of national strategies and outcomes.

 
 
 
Welcome to European Emerging Markets

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

  1. To provide students with an understanding of the institutions of traditional Soviet-type economies and their consequences for economic performance during the period of communist rule in Eastern Europe and the USSR.
  2. To introduce students to the Western literature about these economies, as well as the theory and the evidence contained in that literature.
  3. Once some background knowledge has been accumulated, to provide students with a good basic understanding of the issues raised by attempts (since 1989) to transform these planned economies into market type economies.
  4. To help students develop a way of thinking about and understanding the Eastern European type economies and their integration process into the larger international economy.
  5. To help students improve their communication skills by preparing and delivering oral presentations, participating in in-class discussions and being able to critically analyze others’ presentations.
  6. To practice effective writing, delivering good quality information to the reader.
  7. Last but not least, to offer students a glimpse into real peoples’ lives in pre- and post-revolutionary Central and Eastern Europe.

Syllabus

Reading List