Crisis in the East European Economy: The Spread of the Polish Disease

Crisis in the East European Economy (1982) is a collection of essays, written by leading specialists in centrally planned economies, examining developments in late-stage Soviet-style economies in East European countries. The case of Poland is given special attention as the disorder was most spectacular there and started a political upheaval which shook the foundations of the Soviet-style system – the term ‘Polish disease’ becoming synonymous with Eastern European decline. Economic, political, social and institutional factors are examined across Eastern Europe to determine the inherent features common to all Soviet-style economies.