From Stagnation to Catastroika - Washington Papers by Philip Hanson Paperback

About the Book

This book is a collection of fascinating articles on the Soviet economy by an eminent economist. Most were written as current commentaries and were meant to report and to interpret developments in the Soviet economy under Gorbachev more or less as they occurred. Hanson's reflections cover more than particular events or a particular Soviet debate. In general, the articles were written for readers who were not necessarily either economists or Sovietologists, and they offer important insight on the ongoing transition of the Soviet economy to a free market economy.

Book Synopsis

This book is a collection of fascinating articles on the Soviet economy by an eminent economist. Most were written as current commentaries and were meant to report and to interpret developments in the Soviet economy under Gorbachev more or less as they occurred. Hanson's reflections cover more than particular events or a particular Soviet debate. In general, the articles were written for readers who were not necessarily either economists or Sovietologists, and they offer important insight on the ongoing transition of the Soviet economy to a free market economy.

Review Quotes

"Hanson is one of the world's leading experts on the Russian economy. His running commentary since the beginning of perestroika reveals how attempts to improve its performance failed, and how the reformers faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties that had accrued from decades of mismanagement. These writings are mandatory reading for students of world affairs in 1992--and probably for many years to come."- Walter Laqueur Chairman, International Research Council Center for Strategic and International Studies

"Of all of the distinguished academic specialists who have contributed to the published output of Radio Liberty Research, none has shown greater insight or sounder judgment than Philip Hanson. In his timely analyses of current developments during a period of massive and rapid change, his batting record has been consistently exemplary, as may be seen from this collection of articles, most of which were written under intense time pressure."-Keith Bush Director, Radio Liberty Research, 1975-1990

"This volume is eminent evidence of how much it was possible to know about Soviet developments in recent years, using Sovietological techniques applied with healthy skepticism and a good sense of reality."- Anders Aslund Director, Stockholm Institute of Soviet and East European Economics

About the Author

PHILIP HANSON is professor of Soviet economics at the Centre for Russian and East European Studies of the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He is the author of several books on the Soviet economy and East-West trade, of journal articles in Soviet Studies, Soviet Economy, The Journal of Comparative Economics, European Economic Review and elsewhere, and of press articles for the Financial Times, Times (London), Independent, and Wall Street Journal. Hanson has been a visiting professor of economics at the University of Michigan and a senior Mellon fellow at Harvard University's Russian Research Center.