Turning Point

Two Soviet economists outline past weaknesses in the Soviet economic system that have led to economic stagnation, and present strategies for reversing this course

Thus far perestroika has not produced tangible results for the average Soviet citizen. Shmelev and Popov, proponents of economic restructuring, are Moscow-based economists. In this detailed primer for serious students of the Soviet economy, they talk about "the social-class structure" of the supposedly classless U.S.S.R., and boldly advocate redistribution of power from bureaucrats to work collectives and the people. Harking back to Lenin's "deviationist" New Economic Policy (NEP), which permitted private enterprise, the authors set forth proposals designed to revitalize agriculture and industry. As Richard Ericson of Columbia University suggests in a preface, readers can use this text as a roadmap to watch for milestones and pitfalls as perestroika evolves.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Two senior economists with the Moscow Institute for the United States and Canada make a persuasive case that the USSR's economy is in serious trouble and must be restructured to create a market-socialist system. The authors' knowledge and candor regarding the economic problems confronting the USSR, their suspicion of official Soviet data, and their generous use of diverse examples are the principal assets of this book. Their avoidance of any discussion of the Soviet military-industrial complex and the absence of a glossary are its chief limitations. Recommended for academic and graduate libraries.
- Kim Tunnicliff, Albion Coll., Mich.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.