Naslov
Was Communism better? A Comparison of Economic and Social Development of Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania

Autori
Antić, Miljenko ; Vlahovec, Jadranka

Izvornik
Anali hrvatskog politološkog društva (1845-6707) 7 (2010), 1; 51-72

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
communism; democracy; capitalism; Croatia; Bulgaria; Hungary; Poland; Romania; economic growth; inequality; life expectancy; school enrolment

Sažetak
Political science discussions this year were focused on the following question: to what extent have promises of European „annus mirabilis“ been achieved and how political and economic transition looks like from today’s perspective? This article answers these questions on the basis of empirical analyses. In other words, this article compares economic success of Croatia and selected European countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania) before and after the fall of communism. In addition, this article compares the results of two systems on the basis of equality of distribution of national income and on the basis of comparison of increase in life expectancy. The preliminary results show that above mentioned countries had, on average, almost identical economic growth during the last 18 years of communism and during the first 18 years of democracy and capitalism. The equality in distribution of national income (measured by GINI index) has been decreased, what is a logical consequence of implementation of the capitalist economy. However, the increase in life expectancy (measured on yearly basis) has been more than doubled during the post-communist period in comparison with the period of communism. Furthermore, former communist countries have much higher school enrolment now than during the period of communism, and the increase in tertiary school enrolment is dramatic. In short, communism was not better (except in equality of distribution of income) but capitalism and democracy have still not show their superiority in stimulation of economic growth.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Ekonomija, Politologija, Sociologija

Napomena
Rad je kao predavanje prezentiran na međunarodnom skupu Hrvatski politološki razgovori "Obećanja revolucije 1989 : Demokracija, nacionalni identitet i Europa", održanom od 06.-07.11.2009.g., Zagreb, Hrvatska.

POVEZANOST RADA