商品簡介
A scathing critique of recent economic policy in Poland, by a well-known Polish political economist and public intellectual who was associated with the Solidarity movement. The author, Tadeusz Kowalik, is a socialist in a currently right-leaning Polish political climate. This book reframes the conversation about Poland's economy since the 1970s; instead of measuring indicators of market growth or international competitiveness, Kowalik argues for defining Polish economic health by measures of employment and quality of life for people in Poland. By these measures, the country has consistently done badly in recent years. The book's larger focus is on a basic question: the Polish people ended communism to create a democratic socialist state, and the country had one of the largest organized labor movements in the world. So how and why did Poland transition to a free-market system the author describes as "turbo-capitalism"? Kowalik is an important voice in public, academic, and policy conversations about Poland. Unfortunately, the book is very awkwardly translated from the Polish. Meaning is generally preserved, however, and economists in the former Soviet bloc have unique practical information on how economics and society change together. Kowalik's perspective will be important for academic and general readers with a strong interest in contemporary Polish politics, post-Soviet economies, or economics and society. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
