Market Socialism and Socialist Market Economy

《Market Socialism and Socialist Market Economy》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。

3MarketSocialism?SocialistMarketEconomy?'IntroductionThelinkingofthetwotermssocialismandmarkethasalonghis•tory.Variouscombinationsandtiesbetweenthemhaveemergedinlong-lasting,sometimesratherheateddebates,inacademiccirclesandinthepoliticalsphere,including"marketsocialism"and"socialistmarketeconomy,"tomentionbuttwofrequentones.fllTolookatrecentexperienceinChinaandVietnamandthestudyoftheiractualhistorymayhelpinareconsiderationoftherelationshipbetweensocialismandthemarket.Anoppositeapproachmayalsoproveuseful.Recallingpastpoliticalandacademicdebatesmaycontributetoabetterunderstandingoftherealitiesofcontemporaryhistory.Analystsareatriskofgettinglostinminordetails.Confrontingtoday'sexperi•encewithintense,century-olddebateswillhelptoplaceChineseandVietnamesedevelopmentinawiderhistoricalcontext.Thedebatessofarhavealwaysbeenblurredbyconceptualcon•fusion.Thisstudyattemptstoapplysomeconceptualclarificationtothem."[TheauthorgratefullyacknowledgesthevaluableassistanceofYingyiQianandAgnesSchanner.]1[Theterminology("marketsocialism")--asitisgoingtobedealtwithinthisstudy--•hasoriginallybeenusedbyacademiceconomists,whiletheexpression"socialistmarketeconomy"ischaracteristicofthelanguageoftheofficialChineseideology.]47 STUDY3lVIAIIKETSOCIALlSlVI?SOCIALISTMARKETECONOMY'InterpretationoftheTerm"Market"Iwilldiscussfiveinterpretationsoftheterm"socialism."Therearemanymore,butmostoftheotherscanbetreatedasblendsorTheinterpretationoftheconceptofmarketisnottoodifficult.Thereiscombinationsofthesefive,pureinterpretations,orasintermediate,moreorlessaconsensus.Themarketisamechanismforcoordinatingtemporal,ortransitionalstagesbetweentheln.humanactivities.Itisasocialarrangementforintegrationofsociety.~Themarketisnottheonlymechanismofcoordinationandinteg•ration.Letmementionjustonealternative,thefeasibleandpower•Interpretation1:Marx'sConceptfuloneofbureaucraticcoordination,asanexampleofspecialrele•vanceinthecontextofChineseandVietnameseexperience.ItservedasI~etusstartwithKarlMarx.Hewasnotthefirsttousethetermthemaincoordinatorinthesetwocountriesfordecades.Bureaucratic"socialism."OfficialcoursesinMarxismaspracticedinthecountriesandmarketcoordinationdisplaymanyimportantdifferences,inde•undertheruleofaCommunistpartylikedtousethesomewhatpejo•greeofcentralizationordecentralization,inthenatureofinformationrativelabel"Utopiansocialists"forsuchtoweringfiguresinintellec•flows,andintheincentivesassociatedwiththecoordinationtype.tualandpoliticalhistoryasSaint-Simon,OwenandFourier,andtoMarketandbureaucraticcoordinationareonlytwo,albeitespeciallycontrasttheirideaswiththe"scientificsocialism"thatallegedlybeganrelevanttypes;historyhasgeneratedothercoordinationmechanismswithMarx.aswell.Astimegoesby,societieschoosebetweenalternativecoordi•CertainlyMarxopensanewchapterinthehistoryofsocialistideas,nationmechanisms-deliberatelyorspontaneously.ReforminChinaandhisteachingshavehadandstillhastremendousinfluenceonpo•andVietnamincludes,amongotherchanges,ashiftawayfromtheliticalthoughtandaction.Soitseemspropertofocusfirstonhiscon•predominanceofbureaucraticcoordinationtowardpredominanceoftribution.marketcoordination.Marxwasnoteagertogiveadetaileddescriptionofafuturesocial•Whilethereiswideconsensusonthemeaningofthetermmar•istsystem.HeevenmadesarcasticcommentsaboutGermanprofessorsket,therearegreatdifficultieswiththeconceptof"socialism."whodrewupminutelydetailedblueprintsofadesiredsocialistorder.Severalinterpretationscoexist,inwhatisnotsimplyhairsplittinglin•Herestrictedhimselftodroppingafewhintshereandthere.Hisguisticdisagreement.Onthesurfacethecontroversyseemstobethoughtsonsocialismcanpartlybeconstructedbyanegativeap•abouttheinterpretationofasingleword,butinfacttheconceptualproach:whatfeaturesofcapitalismdidhefuriouslyreject?debateisheavilyloadedwithpoliticalvalues,withthestruggletorea•lizealternativevisionsofa"goodsociety,"andwithsharpdivisionsPoliticalstnu;{ure.Marxhadnocleardesignforthepoliticalregimeonthestrategyforcreatingtheneworder.Itisnotaboutwords,butofsocialism.Thereareonlyfragmentaryreferencesinhisworksfromaboutpoliticalrhetoricandideologies.l3]whichtobuilduptheorganizationbehindhisthoughtsonthesub•ject.Marxcertainlydidnotappreciate"bourgeoisdemocracy."Hewas2Mosttextbooksanddictionariesofpconomicsofferaconcisecharacterizationofthecon•keentoridiculetheemptinessofliberalpoliticalideas.Thereareoft•ceptof"market,"andalsovariousclassificationsofmarkets.Sec,forexample,Mankiwquotedlineswhereheadvocateddictatorshipoftheproletariat,need(2004),orSamuelsonandNordhaus(Z004).Iamusinghere,andinlaterpartsofthepaper,edonthewaytothefull-fledgedcommunistsystem.theconceptualframeworkofmybookTheSocialistSystem(1992b).3[TherewasalargenumberofChineseandVietnameseeconomistsandothersocialHealsohadsomenaive,semi-Anarchistideasaboutthepoliticalscientistspresentatthe2004conferenceinHongKongatwhichthepreviousvp-rsionofthissituationthatwouldpertainatthestageof"communism."Sinceeverypaperwaspresented.Ithereforesawitasimportantinthatvenuetomakethefollowingneedwouldbemet,thenecessityforanykindofforceorrepressionobservation,whichIquote:"Iunderstandthatsomeofmycolleagueshavepayheedtotacti•calconsiderations,cannotbepntirelyoutspoken,andmayseeitasmoreexpedienttoavoidwouldceaseautomatically:.Thestatewouldspontaneouslyshrinkandclearlycircumscribeddefinitions.Mypersonalsituationiseasier.SoIcanallowmyselftoeventuallywitheraway;onlytherationalself-governanceofthecom•layaside70).LeninquotedthewordsofMarxandthroughcamewithaseminalpaperonthetheoryofsocialismbyEngelswithgreatemphasisinhisfamousbookSlaleandRevolulion([1917]1964-1972a),whichlaidthegroundworkforconstructingtheLeninisttheoryonthestateanddictator.OscarLange,thePolisheconomist(Lange1936-1937).Therewereship.HewantedtodemonstrateatheoreticalcontinuitybetweentheideasofMarxandquiteafewothereconomistswhosubsequentlyelaboratedonLange'sEngelsandhisownthoughtsontheissuesofcreatingdictatorshipandrejecting.ideas,aboveallAbbaLerner,inhisinfluentialEconomicsofControl5051 STUDY3MARKETSOC1AL1SM!SOCIAl.ISTMAIKETECONOMY?(1946).Forthesakeofconciseness,letmeconcentratesolelyonincentive,takenasgrantedintheworldofLange'stheory,canbeLange'stheory.generatedinapublicfirmunderasoftbudgetconstraintregime.Lange'smodelofsocialismfitstightlyintothetheoreticalframe•(TheLangetheoryassumesthereisnodifficultywithbringingsuchworkofWalrasianeconomics.Infact,itisaspecialapplicationofthestrongincentivestobear.)GeneralEquilibriumTheorypioneeredbyLeonWalrasandreachingItisimpossibletocoupleanarbitrarilychosenownershipstructureitslaterclimaxintheworksofArrow,Debreu,andothercontemporaryandalikewisearbitrarilychosensetofcoordinationmechanisms.theorists.Thereisnoneedtooutlinethewholetrainofthoughthere,Thereiscloseaffinitybetweencertainownershipformsandcertainasweareexclusivelyconcernedtointerprettheterm"socialism."coordinationmechanisms.(SeeStudy2formoredetailedarguments.)IntherealmoftheLangemodel,"socialism"meanspublicowner•J)ecentralizedmarketandprivateownershipbelongtogether.ship-andnothingelse.ThatisthenecessaryandsufficientconditionAfurtherimportantcounter-argumentcomesfromthepoliticalforcallingasystem"socialist."ReadingtheLangepapercarefullyandideologicalsphere.Thesmoothfunctioningofthemarketde•again,onefindsnowordofpower,thestructureofthepoliticalre•pendsonthe"climate."Itrequiresamarket-friendlyenvironment.Ifgime,orideology.Onlyownershipmatters.thepoliticiansrulingacountryareswornenemiesofgenuinedecen•However,Langedoesnotclarifytheexactplaceofpublicowner•tralization,themarketwillbebannedtotheblackandgreyareaofshipinthetotalcompositionofownershipstructure.Isthepubliclytheeconomyandcannotbecomeitsfundamentalcoordinatorandownedsectorjustpartofthewholeeconomy?Isitthedominantpart,integrator.5orareallassetsownedbythepublic?TheLangepapercontainstheSomekindofideasofmarketsocialismhavecroppeduphereandfollowingtacitalternativeassumptions:alltheproductiveassetsofthetheresincethecollapseofcommunistmle,alongwithotherna'iveeconomyareinpublicownershiporthedominantpartofthem.Orideasofa"thirdway."Theseproposals,however,havebeenenerge•itmaybeassumedthatthepubliclyownedsectorcanbeperfectlyticallyrejected.isolatedfromtherestoftheeconomy.Letusnowmoveawayfromacademicdebatesandlookatpoliti•Herethenisthefinalreduction:Lange's"marketsocialism"isacalhistory.ThesocialistmovementwassplitaboutthetimeofthevisionofaneconomybasedonpublicownershipandcoordinatedbyFirstWorldWarbyatraumaticchasmbetweentwopoliticalmove•themarket."Socialism"andthemarket-thesetwoinstitutional-cum•ments,twoprogramsandtwoideologies.Thesenotonlydivided,butstructuralarrangements-aredeemedcompatible.begantocombateachother,insomeplacesandinsomeperiodswithTheLangemodelstirredupagreatstorm,sufferingtwogreatsadoreventragicconsequences.wavesofvehementattack.ThefirstrefutationcameinabrilliantessaybyFriedrichvonHayek(1935a),basedontheargumentthatsuchavastquantityofinformationandknowledgecannotbecollec•Interpretation3:TheLeninistConceptted,storedandutilizedinacentralizedway.Itisindispensabletohavedecentralizedincentivesforgatheringandapplyingknowledge.CommunistpartiesbegantoemergearoundthetimeoftheFirstThatisassuredbythemarketandprivateproperty,whichautoma•WorldWar,undertheleadershipofLenin.Idonotintendtotraceticallycombineincentivesandinformation.herethehistoryoftheCommunistparties,startingfrombeforetheyThesecondwaveemergedinthecontextofreformingtheSoviettookpower,andendingwhentheylostpowerintheSovietUnionandandEasternEuropeansocialisteconomies.TheHayekianincentiveEasternEurope.Letmefocusonlyonthetimewhenthepoweroftheandinformationargumentwascorroboratedbyempiricalevidence.Communistpartyhadbeenconsolidated,buterosionoftheirrulehadMyownwork,inspiredbythereformexperience,contributedaddi•tionalargumentsforrefutingtheLangetheory.Itseemstobehigh•:)Forabroado,"erviewofthecontemporarydebateon"marketsocialism,"seeBardhanlyimprobablethatastrongcost-minimizingorprofit-maximizingandRoemer(cds.)(1993).MyowncriticalremarksaresummarizedinKornai(199Qb).5253 STUDY5MARKETSOCIALISM?SOCIALISTMARKETECONOMY?notyetstarted.ThatiswhatIcalltheperiodof"classicalsocialism."rosanct.AlthoughitcannotretainaperfectmonopolyoverthemindsThebestexampleisStalin'srulefortheseveraldecadesafterheelimi•ofallpeople,itretainsamonopolyineducation,alllegalpublications,natedhisenemiesandcompletedthe"expropriationoftheexpropria•themedia,etc.Theofficialideologyrejectsallthoughtsfriendlytotors,"i.e.finishednationalizationandcollectivization,butbeforethecapitalism,privateownership,orthemarket.processof"de-Stalinization"beganafterthetyrant'sdeath.Wecould,Accordingtotheofficialideologyoftheregime,theexclusivelegi•ofcourse,findhistoricalrealizationsofthesametypeofsystemIIItimateuseroftheterm"socialism"isitsownsystem.TheMarxist•othercountriesaswell.Hereisasummaryofitscharacteristics.Leninist-Stalinist-Maoistpositiononsocialismisutterlyincompatiblewithanysignificantroleforthemarket.Politicalstructure.Democracyisdespisedandrejectedintherheto•ricoftheLeninist-Stalinistparties.Theyproudlyannouncethattheyexercisedictatorshipoftheproletariat.ThetruthisthatthisconsistsInterpretation4:TheSocialDemocraticConceptofunsharedpoweroftheCommunistparty,i.e.aregimeinwhichthepartyhascompletepoliticalmonopoly.AllcompetitorsarenotHerewediscussthefirsthundredormoreyearsofsocialdemocracy,uponlyexcluded,butbrutallyprosecutedandoppressed.tothe1980sandleaveoutofthescopeofconceptualclarificationthelaterchangesinsocialdemocraticthought.ThemodelcountriestokeepOwnership.Afundamentalfeatureofthesystemispublicowner•inmindareSweden,otherScandinaviancountries,andatalaterhis•shipofpracticallyalltheproductiveassets.ConfiscationofprivatetoricalstageWestGermanyandothercountriesinWesternEurope.property,nationalizationandcollectivizationformacoreelementofThemovementofsocialdemocracyincountriesandperiodstobestu•thepoliticalprogrambeforetakingpower,andremainsoafterpowerdiedinthefollowingadherestoasetofprinciples.Theyacceptandisassumed.Theprogramisimplementedconsistentlyandwithcruelimplementtheseprincipleswhentheyassumepower,butrespectthemforce.Somepocketsofprivatepropertyremain,butthesizeofthemalsobeforewinningorafterlosinganelection.isalmostirrelevantcomparedwithdominanceofpublicproperty.TheLeninistpositiononprivatepropertyisconfrontational.EvenPoliticalstructure.Beingasocialdemocratmeansunconditionalac•minorremnantsofitareviewedwithanimosityandsuspicion."Smallceptanceoftheideaofparliamentarydemocracy.Exactlyhereisthecommodityproductionengenderscapitalismandbourgeoisie,conti•deepdividinglinebetweenthetwogreatcurrentsofthetwentiethcen•nuously,daily,hourly,spontaneously,andonamassscale"(Lenintury.Communistswant"socialism"byallmeans."Ifyouareabletoget[1920J1964-1972c,p.24).topowerbyelection,fine.Butifnot,takepowerbyrevolution,byvio•lence,byimposingthewillofthepartyonthepeople."Socialdemoc•Coordination.Theoverwhelmingroleofthemarketisreplacedbyratswanttheirownkindof"socialism"if,andonlyifthemajorityofpredominanceofcentralmanagement.Theusualnamegiventothispeopleisreadytosupporttheirprogrambyvotingfortheirparty.formofcoordinationis"centralplanning."Amoreadequatecharacte•OnceaCommunistpartyisinpower,itdoesnotsurrenderthatpower,rizationisbureaucraticcoordination,centralcontrol,andasystemofevenifitbecomesclearthatitdoesnothavethesupportofthemajo•enforcinginstructions:a"commandeconomy."rity.Itisnotreadytotestthatsupportincompetitiveelections.AsocialMarketcoordinationcannotbeexpungedcompletely.Itplaysademocraticparty,ontheotherhand,isreadytosurrenderitspowerifcertainrole,partlylegallytoleratedwithinnarrowbounds,partlyille•electionresultsdemonstratethatithaslostitsmajoritysupport.gallyinthevariousformsofthe"black"or"gray"economy.ThechasmbetweenLeninistsandsocialdemocratsstartedwithhea•teddebatesabouttyrannyandpoliticalcompetition,theroleofparlia•Ideology.Marxism(laterMarxism-Leninism,andstilllaterMarxism•ment,andelections.That,tothisdayremainsthecrucial,decisivecri•Leninism-StalinismorMarxism-Leninism-Maoism.)istreatedassac-terionfordistinguishingInterpretation3fromInterpretation4.5455 STLDY:5~1ARKET,OCIALISM"SOCIALISTMARKETECONOMY;'Ownership.Socialdemocracydoesnotrejectprivateownershipoutofglobalization.6Butcertainelementsofthetraditionalsocial-democratichand.Old-stylesocIaldemocratsalwaysrejectedcrudemeansofconfis•approachtoredistributionandwelfarecommitmentsarestIlImamtamed.cation..Butinsomecountries(e.g.,Britain),theywereinclinedtoassignaslgmflcantroletonationalization.AsdoubtsabouttheefficiencyofIdeology.Thesetofideas,valuesandobjectivesespousedbysocialnatIOnalIzed.industrieswereshedbyworldwideexperience(includingdemocratsislinkedcloselytothe"welfarestate"andthedemocratIctheIrdlsappOlntmgperformanceintheSovietUnionandtheEastEuro•politicalprocess.Itisahundredyearssinceadebatearose.betweenpeancountries),thesocialdemocratsgraduallygaveuptheirplansforLenin,foundingfatherofthecommuniststreamoftheSOCIalIstmove•n~tJonahzatlOnandacceptedthepredominanceofprivateownership.mentandKautsky,ahighlyrespectedtheoreticianandpartyleaderStIll,theyarereadytomaintainalargersegmentoftheeducationandofwhatwouldbecomelaterthesocialdemocraticstream'?Bothsidesmedicalcaresectorinpublic(typicallymunicipal)ownership.inthecontroversystillreferredatthattimetoMarxasthecommontheoreticalsourc~andhighestauthority.Astimepassed,socialdemo•Coordination.SocialdemocratsunhesitatinglyrelyonthemarketascratsdistancedthemselvesincreasinglyfromMarx.Ideologicallinksthechiefcoordinatorofeconomicactivities.Buttheydonotsupportun•withMarxismwerecompletelycutoffafterWorldWarII,asanewfetteredfreecompetition.Onthecontrary,theywouldinsistonusingchapterinthemovement'shistoryopenedwiththe1959programthepowerofthestateforincomeredistribution.Thegreataccomplish•acceptedatthepartymeetingofGermansocialdemocratsinBadGo•mentofthenpolItIcalint1uenceiscreationofthemodernwelfarestatedesberg.EuropeansocialdemocracyhadpubliclyabandonedMarXIsmwithallitswell-knownattributes:progressivetaxation,freeorheavil;anddroppednationalizationasanessentialingredientofItSprogram.subSIdIzededucationandhealthcare,anextendedsystemofstatepen•Soonerorlater,allsocialdemocraticpartieswouldfollowtheGermanSIOns,unemploymentmsurance,financialsupportfortheverypoor,andexample(Hodge1993,Przeworski1985)."soon.WhateverthecurrentfiscalproblemscausedbyexpansionoftheJ,etusnowturntotheproblemofChinaandVietnam!welfarestate,socialdemocratstrytopreservewhattheyfeelisthemainachievementoftheirpoliticalstruggleinParliament'asanoppositionparty,orafterelectoralvictories,ingovernment.Interpretation5:WhataretheCurrentChineseTheseremarksonownershipandcoordinationleadtotheconchl•sionthatsocialdemocratsdonotwanttocreateanewsocialistsys•andVietnameseInterpretationsof"Socialism"?tem,fundamentallydifferentfromcapitalism.Whattheywanti~aprofoundreformoftheexistingcapitalistsystem.Inotherwords,theyThesubtitletakesaquestionformbecauseitisraisedherebutnowouldlIketoseeavariationofthecapitalistsystem,closertotheiranswerisgiven.Ifthereisananswer,itisunclearwhethe.ritisiden•ownpoliticalandethicalideals.Thatincludes:ticalinChinaandinVietnam.Butletuslayasideany(hfferenceIII-Extensiveredistribution,forgreaterequity,fairnessandjustice.()E:...:ploringthefcasihilityofa"ThirdVay"iscertainly,oneoftheattemptstomod,er:-Establishment,maintenanceanddevelopmentoftheinstitutionsnizethetraditionalobj(~cti'esofthesocialdemocratsandadjustthemtopresentworldWideofamodernwelfarestate(anationalhealthservice,freeeducation,economiccomlitions.(SeeGiddens2000.)pensionsforallcitizens,etc.)7TheclimaxofthedebatewasaconfrontationbetweentheG(~rmansocialistleaderKrl.rlKautsky,advocatingthesocialdemocrats'position,andt.("'nin,whoattacked,himbitterly.InhisfamouspamphletsStaleandRevolUl£on([1917J1964---1972a)andThePrulelananModernsocialdemocracyseeksnewwaystoovercomethedeepfis•RevolutionandtheRenegadeKalltsky([1918]19641972b).HThereisacertainkinshipbetweenthetraditionalsocialdemocraticinterpretationofcaltroublespartlyassociatedwiththecommitmentsofthewelfarestatesocialismandtheideasof"C::hristianSocialism,"andtherelatedconceptofa"SocialMarkettowardcitizens.Theproblemsaremountingunderthepressuresofde•F,conoll1Y,"atermconceivedinpostwar,vestGermany.Atthesametime,tlwrei.5astrollgmographIcchanges,newconditionsonthelabormarketcreatedbynewdern,olfc;tionlineconcerningtheaccompanyingideology.(Christianityversusastfl~~lysecu•larapproachtopoliticalandethicalissues.)ThediscussionofthisimportantpoliticalandmformatlOnandcommunicationtechnology,andcompetitiveforcesofintellectualcurrentgoesbeyondthelimitsofthispaper.5657 STUDY3MAHKETSOCIALISM'SOCIALISTMAIIKETECONOMY!theunderstandingofthenotion"socialism"betweenthesetwocoun•pertyandmarketandbecomefriendlytothem,movingfrom.atries..Forevenifthereissuch,itisstilllegitimatetoasktheques•vehementlyanti-capitalistviewoftheworldtoonethatfavorscapI•tIOnmrespecttoboth.talistvaluesandprinciples.Today'sCommunistpartiesinChinaandWhileIdonotundertaketoreply,IcanofferafewnegativeVietnamarepartiesfriendlytocapitalism,althoughthisisdisguisedobser~~tlons..Th~studysofarhasoutlinedfourinterpretationsofthebyMarxist-LeninistslogansandfaithfulreferencestothethoughtsoftermsocIalism.WhatISgomgoninChinaandinVietnamcur•ChairmenMaoandHoChiMinh.rentlyandintheforeseeablefuture,doesnotfitanyofthese.'WhenitcomestoInterpretation4,thetwomainattributesoftrueInInterpretation1,Marxwasanoutspokenopponentofprivateprop•socialdemocracyarelacking.First,dictatorshipandsingle-partyruleertyandexpresseddeepdistrustinthemarket.ChinaandVietnamareretainedandtheideaofcompetitiveelectionsisangrilyrejected.haveallowedtheprivatesectortogrowfast,sothatitproducestheAnold-stylecommunistregimewouldmakeseriouseffortstobuildmajorpartoftheirGDPanditsshareisincreasingbytheday,whileupatleastsomeelementsofawelfarestateintheeducation,healththatofthepublicsectorisshrinking.Thedominantroleincoordina•careandpensionsectors,forallcitizens,orforsomeservices,atleasttionisplayedbythemarketmechanism.IfMarx'sinterpretationisforemployeesofpublicenterprises.Theformergovernmentswere,ofallo~ed,.neItherChmanorVietnamisasocialistsystemanymore.course,limitedindoingsobylowlevelsofproductionanddevelop•1urnmgtoInterpretation2,ChinaandVietnamcannotbeseenasment,sothattheeffortsmadecouldnotleadtoamodern,well-fun•historicalrealizationsofOscarLange'stheoreticalconstructof"mar•dedwelfarestateandinsomecaseswentbeyondtheboundsofaffor•ketsocialism."TheproductiveassetsinLange'sabstractworldareindability,producingaprematurewelfarestate.Thatsituationisnowpublicownership..Heputgreatintellectualeffortintoprovingtheover.Thestatehasbeguntowithdrawfromwelfareservices,inpur•marketcanfulfIllItscoordinationroleintheabsenceofprivateown•suitofabetterfiscalbalanceandthegreaterefficiencyandcompeti•ershIp.IntherealworldofChinaandVietnam,themarkethastivenessoftheprivatesector.Thedegreeofredistributionisdimin•becomethechiefcoordinator.Thatmaybeawelcomechange,butishing,inequalityisdramaticallyincreasing,andthegapbetweenrichtheprofoundchangesintheownershipstructuremeanthepresentandpoorisgrowing.ChinaandVietnamarenotmoving(inrelativestateofaffairshasnothingtodowiththatearlierintellectualvisionterms,inthepatternofincomedistributionandsocialservices)to•of"marketsocialism."wardthesocialdemocratic,Scandinavianmodel,buttowardanearlyAsforInterpretation3,ChinaandVietnamhavekeptanextreme•19thcenturyManchestermodel,orthatofsomestrikinglyunequallyImportantattributeoftheLeninisttypeof"socialism":thepoliti•LatinAmericansocieties.calstructurehasremainedbasicallyunchanged.TheCommunistpartyFourdefiniteno'sadduptoanemphaticallynegative:ThesystemstIllholdsitspoliticalmonopolyandtheparty-statehasunrestrictedinChinaandVietnamcanemphaticallynotbecalled"socialism"totalitarianpower.Thereisnolegallypermittedpoliticalcompetitionaccordingtothecriteriaofthefourinterpretationsdescribed.r9jbetweenpartiesorideologies;anyopposition,dissidentortrulyinde•Thisisafactualobservationwithoutanynormativeimplications.Ipendent,isrepressed.donotclassthelabel"socialism"asabadgeofhonor.IamnottheHowever,theownershipstructurehasundergonefundamentaladvocateofLeninistsocialism.Idonotdiscusstheissuewhetherchanges,inwhichthestate-ownedsectorhasgivenupitsleadingrole.ChinaorVietnam"deserve"tobecalledsocialistcountries,orwheth•TheroleofbureaucraticcoordinationandcentralmanagementhasertheydepartedfromtheonlytruewayofLeninism.Similarly,Iambeendrasticallyreducedandlargelyreplacedbythemarket.Thenoadvocateofsocialdemocracy,anddonotblamecountriesforfail•resultISfarfromaclassicalsocialistsystem,andfairlyclosetoatypi•ingtofollowthesocialdemocraticpatternofparliamentarydemoc•calcapitalistsystem.racyandawelfarestate.Moreovertheofficialideologyhasundergonedrasticchanges.TheCommumstpartyhassheditstraditionaloppositiontoprivatepro-"[FormoredetailsseetheAppendixofStudy6(pp.147-50).]5859 STlJDY3"Socialism"isnoregisteredtrademark.Nobodyhasarighttoput4forwardamandatory,exclusivedefinitionastheonlylegitimateone.IftheChineseorVietnameseleadershipshouldinsistoncallingtheirTheSpeedofTransformation'regime"socialist,"noonecandenythemtherighttodoso.Ofcourse,itremainsanintriguingquestionforscholarsspecializinginideology,symbol,ritual,andpoliticalrhetoric,whatmotiveliesbehindthatinsis•tence.TheseleaderstooktheriskofdepartingfromtheLeninistrouteanddidnotjointhesocialdemocraticrouteeither,butdecidedtofol•Iowanewpathwithactions.Sowhyaretheysoconservativeorstub•bornaboutretainingtheoldwordsandlabels?Scholarsofideologymayhaveananswer.Theymayobservethatwordsdomatter.Inpolitics(andperhapsinprivatelife),itmayoftenbemucheasiertoalterprac•ticalactionsthantoadmittobeingarenegadetoone'searlierbeliefsIntroductionandvalues.ConversionssuchasPaul'sontheroadtoDamascus,withopenadmissionofthechangeoffaithandacceptanceoftheconse•quences,arerare,veryrareexceptionsinpoliticalhistory.TenyearshavepassedsincethepublicationofmybookTheRoadtoaFreeEconomy:ShiftingfromaSocialistSystem-theExampleifHungaryIntellectualswhomaketheirlivingbywrittenorspokenwordare(referredtohereafterasRoad.)ItwasthefirstbookinthemternatlOnalkeentoclarifytheirconcepts.Butlifemustgoonamidstconceptualliteraturetoputforwardcomprehensiveproposalsforthepost-socialIstconfusion.Ihavetriedinthisstudytooffersomeconceptualclarifi•transition.Thisstudysetsouttoassessthebookastheauthorseesittencation.Whatevertheresult,discussionoftheChineseandVietnameseyearslater.!Isthisnotanextremelyself-centeredundertaking?Anadver•reformsandtheirtruenaturemustcontinue,evenifitisimpossibletisementforanoldbooknobodyisbuyingthesedays?No,therearegoodtodecidewhattocallthesystemnowprevalentinthosetwocoun•ethicalandintellectualreasonsforreassessingthebook,andIhopethetries.Themostimportanttaskistounderstandnottherhetoric,butthetruenatureofthechangesinthesetwocountries.motivationwillbecomeclearinthecourseofthediscussion.Thecustomaryindicesofsuccessintheacademicworld,suchasthenumberofcitations,areattemptstomeasuretheImpactthataorkhashadonitsauthor'scolleagues.HereIcanbesatisfied.Sev•:ralhundredreferenceshavebeenmadetothebook,including,of•[JdeliveredthepresentpaperasaKeynoteAddresstotheAnnualBankCo~ferenceonDevelopmentE.conomicsconvenedbytheW,orldBankinWashingtononApnl20,200~.IdeliveredanearlierversionofthispaperinStockholm,astheK.eynoteAddresstot,he~obelSymposiumheldonSeptember11,1999,markin~th~tenthanmversaryofthebegmo.ln?"~fthepost-socialisttransition.IamindebtedtoStamslawGomulka,KarelKouba,Kaz.lmlTPoznanski,MihalyLaki,andPeterMurrellfortheirstimulatingcommentsandsugges.tlOns.IamgratefultoMariaBarelt,AgnesBenedict,AndreaDespot,Cecili~l-Iornok,and.ruli~nnaPartifortheirefficientresearchassistance,andtoBrianMcLeanforhiS.excellenttranslatIOn:]IJdealmainlywithRoad(1990),buttherewereafewotherpubliclecturesandpubli·cationsatthebeginningofthepost-socialisttransitionthatgavemea.ch~nce.tocl~nfymyviews.TheTinbergenLecture(1992a),deliveredin1991,cO.ncernedprivatizatIOn..1heMyr•dalLecture(1993b),whichIgavein1992,wasabouthardeningthebudgetconstramt.Ihaveincludedtheseinthisretrospectiveevaluation.6061