The Central Role of Entrepreneurs in Transition Economies

New firms have been formed at a striking rate in the transition countries, improving welfare by creating jobs, supplying consumer goods, constraining the market power of the state-owned firms, and building political momentum for reform. We summarize evidence on the relative role of entrepreneurs and the state in economic reform. Early in the transition, the government's main contribution to entrepreneurship was to avoid impeding the entrepreneurs' self help. Later, the entrepreneurs came to need positive assistance from the state: institutions to support contracting and finance