The evolution of economic systems : essays in honour of Ota Sik

"The Evolution of Economic Systems" is dedicated to Ota Sik on the occasion of his 70th birthday. It honours Ota Sik's economics, his political life and his social and humane concerns. His commitment to truth, his challenging of established polit-economic structures and idealogical borderlines as well as his search for solutions aiming to improve the life of humans in the economic, social and political realms are also honoured. The editors think that Ota Sik may in some way be considered as an "evolutionist" whose work has always been stressing economic and societal change. He succeeded in analyzing with competence developments in both the Eastern and Western systems and in combining what he considered the best of both worlds. Looking back fifty years from now, quite a few economists may feel that Sik was with his vision of a "Third Way" on the right track. The "Evolution of Economic Systems" brings together contributions from economists from East and West. While this naturally implies a comparative view, the editors have attempted to overcome static comparative economic analysis by viewing the different economic systems in evolution. The first part attempts to establish some interdisciplinary perspectives and to discuss principal aspects of the analysis of economic systems. The second, "Western" part highlights market evolution as well as planned reproduction and institutional change. The third, "Eastern" part focuses on the evolution of planning systems, highlighting various reform movements in Eastern European countries including the USSR and China.