Consistency and Viability of Socialist Economic Systems

In 1985, General Secretary Mikhail S. Gorbachev led the Soviet Union through a series of revolutionary reforms, such as Perestroika ('Restructuring') and Glasnost ('Openness'). Yet many of these changes failed, resulting in the collapse of centrally administered socialism throughout the country and most of Eastern Europe. Consistency and Viability of Socialist Economics Systems establishes a new and enlightening approach to understanding complex socialist economies. This book presents an original analytical framework to better map out the relationship between the economic, political, ideological structures, and the external environment, as well as the reform process that gives rise to certain economic systems.

John Marangos is Associate Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Economics University of Crete, Greece and Visiting Research Scholar, Department of Economics and Finance, Winston-Salem State University, USA. Previous appointments have been with Colorado State University, University of Ballarat, Monash University and the University of Melbourne. Focal points for John's research include economic transition processes in Russia, Eastern Europe, former Soviet Union, and Asia; international development; and innovative methodologies for teaching economics. His publications or in the process of publication include: five books, ten book chapters, thirteen entries in encyclopedias and sixty-one refereed journal articles.