Transposable and Non Transposable Lessons from the Transition Experience

Gerard Roland

Professor, Department of Economics, University of California at Berkeley, Tel: +510-642-4321, Fax: +510-642-6615 groland@econ.berkeley.edu

JEL Classification: P20, P26, P36

Abstract

In this paper we ask what are the transposable and non transposable experiences from the transition from socialism to capitalism. We ask these questions with special reference to the future transition in North Korea. We discuss transposability for three important dimensions of transition: price liberalization, privatization and institutional reform.

Keywords:

Transition, North Korea, Institutions, Reforms, Transplantation

Acknowledgments

Keynote lecture for the conference “Experience of Transition Economics and Implications for North Korea”, Seoul National University January 18 2008.

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