Incluye bibliografía

1. Overview: hopes, tears, and transformation / Nicholas Barr and Ralph W. Harbison -- 2. The role of government in a market economy / N. Barr -- Part I. The political economy of transformation: 3. The inheritance / Saul Estrin -- 4. The forces driving change / N. Barr -- 5. Constraints on change / N. Barr, Stanislaw Gomulka and Igor Tomes -- Part II. Policy design and implementation: 6. A strategy for reform / N. Barr -- 7. Labor markets: wages and employment / Richard Jackman and Michal Rutkowaki -- 8. Labor markets: unemployment / David Fretwell and Richard Jackman -- 9. Income transfers: social insurance / N. Barr -- 10. Income transfers: family support and poverty relief / Sándor Sipos -- 11. Education and training / Bruno Laporte and Julian Schweitzer -- 12. Health and health care / Alexander S. Preker and Richard G. A. Feachem -- 13. Driving change: politics and administration / Ian Crawford and Alan Thompson. Glossary.

The people of Central and Eastern Europe need no reminder that the early stage of reform is uncertain and painful. Their new economic and political system are giving them more individual freedom. But for most of them, living standards are falling - often sharply - as poverty, unemployment and death rates are rising. This book presents policies for labor markets and social needs in this time of hope, transformation, and tears. The book - which is about the European and republics of the former U.S.S.R as well as the other Central and Eastern European countries - makes three main arguments. First, it is crucial that these countries ' human resources be developed through more effective labor markets, improved education, reduced poverty, and better health care. Second, the state still has a major role. Third, reform will fail unless political and administrative realities are considered when policies are designed and implemented.