Russia projects a sense of renewed power and prominenence on the world stage; by 2020 it's expected to emerge as the fifth-largest economy in the world. Going forward, how the United States and Russia deal with each and with issues of mutual interest will have a significant impact around the globe. The Russia Balance Sheet sets forth a primer on Russia's current governmental and political infrastructure as well as its opportunity for growth. This important new book provides comprehensive, balanced, and accurate information on all key aspects of Russia and discusses what its status means for the US and other nations. To that end, the authors develop a cohesive, overarching framework that analyzes the nexus point of such areas as economic reforms and integration, domestic politics and society, foreign business partnerships, and energy demands. Based upon this foundation, the book capably suggests constructive policies for Russia and the next US administration that will take office in 2009....

How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy explores Ukraine's postcommunist transformation from 1991 to 2008, how and why key policy decisions were made, and what Ukraine should do to overcome the ravages of its political and financial crises. The path Ukraine has traveled since 1991, when Ukrainians overwhelmingly voted for their nation's independence, has been turbulent. During this time, it has recorded many achievements, but it has also faltered. Its greatest triumph is that hardly any Ukrainian questions the sovereignty of the state. It has become a democracy, albeit fragile, and is a market economy with predominant private ownership. Despite being one of the last postcommunist countries to opt for serious market economic reforms in the 1990s, it grew at an average of 7.5 percent a year from 2000 to 2007. In this clear, accessible account of Ukraine's political and economic metamorphosis, noted expert on the postcommunist transformation Anders Aslund provides a chronological guide to the evolution of a country known for its diverse regions. Aslund identifies the protagonists and leaders who have formed the country's regimes in this easy-to-read volume and analyzes how constant governmental transitions have affected the country....

With high growth rates in Asia, most notably in China, India, and outheast and Central Asia, Eurasia's economic center of gravity is rapidly shifting to the East. At the same time, most of Europe faces serious barriers to growth in the long term. The volume examines the causes and consequences of this major shift in economic power and considers the options available to policymakers in various parts of Europe and Asia. The ten chapters in this book focus on long-term challenges of globalization rather than short-term problems of individual countries and explore two themes: global macroeconomic imbalances and growth. This work is based on a Center for Social and Economic Research conference....

How Capitalism Was Built tells the story of how the former communist countries in East and Central Europe, Russia, and Central Asia became market economies from 1989 to 2006. It discusses preconditions, political breakthroughs, and alternative reform programs. Three major chapters deal with the deregulation of prices and trade, price stabilization, and privatization. Early radical reform made output decline the least. Social developments have been perplexing but mixed. The building of democracy and the establishment of the rule of law have been far less successful. International assistance has been limited but helpful. This region has now become highly dynamic, but corruption remains problematic....