Economic reform - the introduction of elements of the market into a planned economy - has been the central political problem for socialist states for at least three decades. This book seeks to elucidate the nature of the problem through a reconsideration of the general theoretical issues, and through a comparative analysis of the practice of economic reform in two countries - Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

This interdisciplinary study offers a comprehensive analysis of the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Providing full historical context and drawing on a wide range of literature, this book explores the continuous economic and social transformation of the post-socialist world. While the future is yet to be determined, understanding the present phase of transformation is critical. The book’s core exploration evolves along three pivots of competitive economic structure, institutional change, and social welfare. The main elements include analysis of the emergence of the socialist economic model; its adaptations through the twentieth century; discussion of the 1990s market transition reforms; post-2008 crisis development; and the social and economic diversity in the region today. With an appreciation for country specifics, the book also considers the urgent problems of social policy, poverty, income inequality, and labor migration. Transition Economies will aid students, researchers and policy makers working on the problems of comparative economics, economic development, economic history, economic systems transition, international political economy, as well as specialists in post-Soviet and Central and Eastern European regional studies.

"This book examines processes of media change in post-Communist countries. Considerable attention is paid to the general process of transformation before turning to the media in particular. In this reexamination of the media under the Communist system and its role in the transition, the stress is on analysis of media policy and media systems. The author develops a model of change in Central and Eastern Europe and how it can be applied. As such, the intention is not to provide a full account of the debate but to illustrate the main elements and mechanisms of the process as exemplified by the situation in selected countries."--BOOK JACKET.