Memoirs of a (Highly) Political Economist

These memoirs help to understand the collapse of the communist system and the stormy period of systemic change from a personal perspective. The author participated in these changes as an already well known Sovietologist, as well as through his own on- and off involvements in post-communist transition politics, participating in various advisory bodies.

These memoirs portray an individual coping with the adversities and surrealistic qualities of life and work under communism. The author recollects his adolescence, next, how he tried to avoid head-on conflicts, dissented, and how he finally became a known critic of the system. As such, he belonged to a group of advisers to the underground «Solidarity» leadership. His memoirs help to understand the collapse of the communist system and the stormy period of systemic change from a personal perspective. The author participated in these changes as an already well known Sovietologist, as well as through his own on- and off involvements in post-communist transition politics, participating in various advisory bodies (including that advising President Walesa).

Autorentext

Jan Winiecki worked predominantly in research institutions and taught economics at the Catholic University of Lublin (Poland), Aalborg University (Denmark), and European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. He teaches at the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland, and has published numerous books and articles.

Inhalt
Contents: Growing up in the Stalinist World Studying and Working under Communist Orthodoxy Mane-Thekel-Fares: The (Still Barely Visible) Writings on the Wall «Solidarity Picnic» and Its Aftermath Communism: Game Over Long Term Economic Trends and Transition to Freedom Vanishing Output and Intellectual Invasion of Doubting Thomases Coming to the Rescue of Transition: The Power of the Market A Collision of Emotions, Ideology, and Economics.