Planning Ahead And Falling Behind

Für diese Untersuchung wurde dem Autor am 13. 9. 2007 der René Kuczynski-Preis für herausragende Publikationen auf dem Gebiet der Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte verliehen. Der Autor definiert die Wirtschaftsleistung Ostdeutschlands im Vergleich zu Westdeutschland neu. Dazu zieht er in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur vorliegende Berechnungen und eigene Schätzungen heran. Zum einen bestimmt er die Wirtschaftsleistung für die Stichjahre 1936 und 1954 neu, um den Einfluss der Startbedingungen abschätzen zu können. Außerdem berechnet er die Produktion der Industrie und ihrer Branchen auf Basis physischer Angaben für den Zeitraum 1936-1991 sowie darauf aufbauend das gesamte Bruttoinlandsprodukt Ostdeutschlands neu. Die erzielten Ergebnisse sind innovativ und erweitern unser Wissen über Niveau und Entwicklung der Wirtschaft auf dem Gebiet der DDR. Es handelt sich um die derzeit beste, breiteste, fundierteste Berechnung der Wirtschaftsentwicklung der DDR, und zwar im Vergleich mit Westdeutschland.

The contributors to this volume consider the economic history of East Germany within its broader political, cultural and social contexts.

In a collection of essays, renowned historians, economists, political scientists, and other leading scholars examine free-market capitalism, socialism, and hybrid systems to assess how well each contributes to social and economic prosperity. Free-market capitalism, characterized by private ownership and market-determined allocation of goods and services, is often credited with generating economic growth and high average income. But in an era of widening economic disparity, many people are challenging capitalism's precepts and looking favorably upon socialism, which in its traditional form couples government ownership of much of the means of production with substantial centrally determined allocation. Many of socialism's current adherents support a European-style social democracy that does not seek to abolish private property or redistribute wealth but calls for expanded government regulation and progressive taxation for improvements in public safety, health, and welfare. Meanwhile, other critics of capitalism call for a universal basic income. The contributors to this volume bring a multifaceted approach to their inquiry, examining the competing systems through many perspectives: their history and philosophies; their impact on important social goals such as labor policy, the environment, and health care; and their political consequences for individual liberty and freedom, strategic relations with other countries, and long-term peace.

This monograph provides an analysis of the economic performance and living standard in Czechoslovakia and its successor states, Hungary, and Poland since 1945. The novelty of the book lies in its broad comparative perspective: it places East Central Europe in a wider European framework that underlines the themes of regional disparities and European commonalities. Going beyond the traditional growth paradigm, the author systematically studies the historical patterns of consumption, leisure, and quality of life—aspects that Tomka argues can best be considered in relation to one other. By adopting this “triple approach,” he undertakes a truly interdisciplinary research drawing from history, economics, sociology, and demography. As a result of Tomka’s three-pillar comparative analysis, the book makes a major contribution to the debates on the dynamics of economic growth in communist and postcommunist East Central Europe, on the socialist consumer culture along with its transformation after 1990, and on how the accounts on East Central Europe can be integrated into the emerging field of historical quality of life research.

Form Follows Function: Industrial Design and the Emergence of Postwar Economic Culture -- Producing Modern German Homes: The Economy of National Branding -- Intra-German Trade and the Aesthetic Dialectic of European Integration -- From Competition to Cooperation: Cold War Diplomacy of German Design -- Conservative Modernity: The Reception of Functionalism in German Living Rooms.

"A clarifying must-read in these uncertain times.” —GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO Journey behind the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic with Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system. What was it like at the epicenter, inside the health system that cared for more COVID-19 patients than any other in the United States? Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Lessons Learned about Innovation, Leadership, and Humanity During the COVID-19Crisis takes readers inside Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system. From the C-suite to the front lines, the book reports on groundwork that positioned Northwell as uniquely prepared for the pandemic. Two decades ago, Northwell leaders began preparing for disasters—floods, hurricanes, blackouts, viruses, and more based on the belief that "bad things will happen and we have to be ready." Following a course highly unusual for an American health system, Northwell developed one of the most advanced non-government emergency response systems in the country. Northwell reached a point where leaders could confidently say "we are comfortable being uncomfortable in a crisis." But even with sustained preparation, the pandemic stands as a singularly humbling experience. Leading Through a Pandemic offers guidance on how hospitals and health systems throughout the country can prepare more effectively for the next viral threat. The book includes dramatic stories from the front lines at the peak of the viral assault and lessons of what went well, and what did not. The authors draw upon the Northwell experience to prescribe changes in the health care system for next time. Beyond the obvious need for increased stockpiles of supplies and equipment is the far more challenging task of fundamentally changing the culture of American health care to embrace a more robust emergency response capability in hospitals and systems of all sizes across the nation. The book is a must read for health care professionals, policy-makers, journalists, and readers whose curiosity demands a deeper dive into the surreal realm of the coronavirus pandemic.

The collapse of communism in Central, East and South-East Europe (CESEE) led to great hopes for the region and for Europe. A quarter of a century on, the picture is mixed: in many CESEE countries, the transformation process is incomplete, and the economic catch-up has taken longer than anticipated. The current situation has highlighted the need for a better understanding of the long-term political and economic implications of the Central, East and South-East European historical experience. This thematically organised text offers a clear and comprehensive guide to the economic history of CESEE from 1800 to the present day. Bringing together authors from both East and West, the book also draws on the cutting-edge research of a new generation of scholars from the CESEE region. Presenting a thoroughly modern overview of the history of the region, the text will be invaluable to students of economic history and CESEE area studies.

The establishment of the Communist social model in one part of Germany was a result of international postwar developments, of the Cold War waged by East and West, and of the resultant partition of Germany. As the author argues, the GDR's 'new' society was deliberately conceived as a counter-model to the liberal and marketregulated system. Although the hopes connected with this alternative system turned out to be misplaced and the planned economy may be thoroughly discredited today, it is important to understand the context in which it developed and failed. This study, a bestseller in its German version, offers an in-depth exploration of the GDR economy's starting conditions and the obstacles to growth it confronted during the consolidation phase. These factors, however, were not decisive in the GDR's lack of growth compared to that of the Federal Republic. As this study convincingly shows, it was the economic model that led to failure.