This paper discusses the key hypotheses which Joseph Stiglitz proposed, in his wide-ranging critique of the ''Washington Consensus'', with regard to transition reforms and economic polices in China and Russia. The primary purpose is to evaluate the Stiglitz perspective in the light of empirical...

In this paper we use a survey of 281 Czech, Hungarian and Polish newly established small private firms in order to shed some light on the constrains these firms face in the credit market. The results of our survey show that imperfections in capital markets in Central European economies do not...

The reasons for the growth of interenterprise debt are analyzed. It is suggested that it results mainly from the appearance of normal trade credit in a liberalized economy, and when a monetary squeeze is part of a stabilization attempt that is not credible. In the latter case, the result can be...

The primary function of banks during economic transformation is seen to be provision of an efficient payments mechanism. The lack of banking skills, particularly in credit allocation, is seen as the major problem in stable monetary systems. This is a problem which can be expected to last many...