The Transition Lectures
Welcome to my four part series on transition. Join me to understand more about the transition from communism to capitalism in Central and Eastern Europe, and the battle between the Russian oligarchs and the current Putin regime.
Each video is posted below (a link to the YouTube playlist is here):
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To listen to the lectures as a podcast just paste this RSS feed into your favourite podcast app (if you use Apple Podcasts select Library > … (More) > Follow a show by URL.
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You can also listen to the audio below (a link to the the SoundCloud playlist is here):
Contents
Part 1: “Steps in the Dark: Why socialist calculation is impossible” (YouTube | Vimeo | SoundCloud)
In the first of this four part series we see why capitalism became the only economic system left standing.
Part 2: “Economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe: Shock therapy or gradualism?” (YouTube | Vimeo | SoundCloud)
In the second of this four part series we understand more about the circumstances following the end of the USSR, and the alternative transition strategies that former communist countries faced.
Part 3: “The Oligarchs: How the new tycoons rose to power” (YouTube | Vimeo | SoundCloud)
In the third of this four part series we look at how a new type of business leader emerged in Russia and took advantage of the transition process.
Part 4: “Russia’s kleptocracy: And the rise of Putin” (YouTube | Vimeo | SoundCloud)
In the fourth of this four part series we uncover how Putin came power, how he gained control of the Russian economy, and how he has disrupted the global geopolitical order.
Credits: Thank you to Simulus for recording and editing the content.
Background materials:
I devoted a section of Chapter 12 of my Managerial Economics textbook to transition. You can read it for free here.
Here are two videos defining capitalism and liberal democracy:
I have another lecture in this series, on Fukuyama’s ‘End of History’ thesis and how this relates to Eastern Europe, identity politics, and populism. I intend to record that as a live talk, so if you’re interested in hosting me get in touch!