Communist Planning versus Rationality

Communist Planning versus Rationality
Author: János Matyas Kovács
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 425
Release: 2022-04-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1793631786

This volume examines concepts of central planning, a cornerstone of political economy in Soviet-type societies. It revolves around the theory of “optimal planning” which promised a profound modernization of Stalinist-style verbal planning. Encouraged by cybernetic dreams in the 1950s and supporting the strategic goals of communist leaders in the Cold War, optimal planners offered the ruling elites a panacea for the recurrent crises of the planned economy. Simultaneously, their planning projects conveyed the pride of rational management and scientific superiority over the West. The authors trace the rise and fall of the research program in the communist era in eight countries of Eastern Europe, including the Soviet Union, and China, describing why the mission of optimization was doomed to fail and why the failure was nevertheless very slow. The theorists of optimal planning contributed to the rehabilitation of mathematical culture in economic research in the communist countries, and thus, to a neoclassical turn in economics all over the ex-communist world). However, because they have not rejected optimal planning as “computopia,” there is a large space left behind for future generations to experiment with Big Optimal Plans anew—based, at this time, on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis

A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis
Author: Marc Bacchetta
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9789287038128

Trade flows and trade policies need to be properly quantified to describe, compare, or follow the evolution of policies between sectors or countries or over time. This is essential to ensure that policy choices are made with an appropriate knowledge of the real conditions. This practical guide introduces the main techniques of trade and trade policy data analysis. It shows how to develop the main indexes used to analyze trade flows, tariff structures, and non-tariff measures. It presents the databases needed to construct these indexes as well as the challenges faced in collecting and processing these data, such as measurement errors or aggregation bias. Written by experts with practical experience in the field, A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis has been developed to contribute to enhance developing countries' capacity to analyze and implement trade policy. It offers a hands-on introduction on how to estimate the distributional effects of trade policies on welfare, in particular on inequality and poverty. The guide is aimed at government experts engaged in trade negotiations, as well as students and researchers involved in trade-related study or research. An accompanying DVD contains data sets and program command files required for the exercises. Copublished by the WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

State Formation, Globalization, and Universities

State Formation, Globalization, and Universities
Author: Jie Zheng
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2024-11-18
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1040256848

This book examines the policies and realities of internationalization of higher education (IHE) in China. The author constructs a theoretical framework by drawing on theories of state formation, globalization, internationalization of higher education, and education policy. Using a constructivist-interpretive qualitative approach, the author examines China's state policy on IHE between 1949 and 2019 and the reality of IHE at three universities in China. From a "policy into practice" perspective, the book highlights the tensions, challenges, and possibilities between macro state policy narratives and institutional realities. It offers insights into the policy-making and practice of IHE. The book will appeal to scholars of higher education, sociology of education, and comparative and international education.