Reflections on Economic Sovietology

Abstract

A leading specialist on the Soviet economy presents a detailed overview and evaluation of the history of Western studies of the Soviet economy. Foci of the article include: debates about the nature of the Soviet economic system; the uses of qualitative and quantitative evidence; controversies over rates of economic growth and growth of productivity, comparative size of the economy and the burden of defense expenditures; analyses of the severity of economic problems and their implications for the future viability of the system. The article concludes with an evaluation of the accomplishments and shortcomings of economic Sovietology. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: P27, P24, P52.