Suchergebnisse

FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, THE SOVIET UNION HAS ENGAGED IN AN ALMOST CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF REFORMING THE CENTRALLY-PLANNED ECONOMY INHERITED FROM STALIN. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE REFORM PROGRAMS OF ALL SOVIET LEADERS FROM KHRUSHCHEV TO GORBACHEV HAS BEEN TO MAKE THE ECONOMY MORE EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE TO CONSUMER DEMAND WHILE RETAINING ITS SOCIALIST CHARACTER. THE REFORMS MADE BY KHRUSHCHEV AND BREZHNEV CAME TO NAUGHT, BECAUSE THEY LEFT THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE STALINIST ECONOMIC SYSTEM IN PLACE. ALTHOUGH GORBACHEV'S REFORMS ENLARGE THE SCOPE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THEY ALSO LEAVE MUCH OF THE OLD SYSTEM IN PLACE. FAR MORE RADICAL MOVES TOWARD PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION WILL BE REQUIRED TO CREATE A SOCIALIST REGULATED MARKET ECONOMY THAT CAN SATISFY CONSUMERS AND COMPETE WITH THE WEST.

REFORMERS IN THE SOCIALIST COUNTRIES ARE TRYING TO INTRODUCE MARKET PROCESSES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR ECONOMIES. IN SO DOING, THEY MUST COME TO GRIPS WITH THE SENSITIVE ISSUE OF OWNERSHIP OF LAND AND CAPITAL ASSETS.