Transition economy- a transitional state from one economic system to another economic system. As a result of this transition, a fundamental transformation of the foundations of this system is carried out, which determine the genesis and development of both new features of the transition economy and its features.

The following main features of a transition economy are distinguished:

1. The transition economy will have to create the basis of a new economic system, while the previous economy was reproduced on its basis. The term "basis" in economic theory is key and includes:

Type of ownership of means and products of production;

Forms of economic relations;

Type of coordination of activities between economic entities.

With the creation of a basis new economy The transitional state of the economic system ends and it transforms into a new quality.

2. An important feature of a transition economy is its diversity. Economic structure refers to the type economic relations, allowing the simultaneous coexistence in a given country of not only different forms, but also types of property. Thus, a transition economy is characterized by the presence of an old and a new basis, as well as the coexistence of various types of regulation of economic relations between economic entities.

3. A transition economy is characterized by unsustainable development, since there is a constant transformation of old relations in the absence of new institutions and rules, resulting in a conflict between old and new economic interests.

4. Transformations in a transition economy take a fairly long period of time, which is explained by a number of factors:

The complexity and inconsistency of transformations;

Natural factors;

The impossibility of simultaneously carrying out a revolution in the technological basis, modifying the economy, and forming new economic institutions.

Transition economies and mixed economies are characterized by common features:

♦ combination of market and government regulation;

♦ combination of capitalist forms and social orientation of economic development, etc.

At the same time, these types of economies also have qualitative differences. Let's note some of them.

Firstly, a mixed economy is a modern economic system that combines market and government regulation and economic development into a single whole.

Secondly, the mixed economy as a modern economic system is dominant in most developed countries of the world.

As for the transition economy, it:

♦ is not reproduced on its own economic basis, but is transferred from one economic system to another;

♦ unlike a mixed economy, it is characterized by instability;

♦ covers a relatively short period of time, while a mixed economy is characterized by an unchanged state of the economic system.

The transition economy has several varieties:

1. Economy transition period from capitalism to socialism (in our country it covered the period from the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917 to the 30s of the twentieth century).

2. A fundamental change in the methods of coordination within the same economic system, but they relate to its basis and economic policy. This type of transition economy involves the inevitable replacement of old institutions, the development of new methods of regulation and the choice of new theories of social economic development.

3. The economic system of individual countries requires modification in connection with a change in the place of a particular country in the system of international economic and political relations. These changes are due to the need to eliminate deformations in the economies of former colonial countries.

4. Overcoming a long period of unstable economic development of states. An example of this type is, for example, countries Latin America, which have experienced low economic growth rates for more than two decades, increasing external debt, a sharp contrast in incomes of the population, high inflation, etc.

5. Transitional economy of the former Soviet republics of the USSR and other post-socialist countries. She wears an intersystem transition. The peculiarity of this transition economy is that there is a transformation from a socialist economic system to a capitalist economic system, i.e. a reverse movement, or, more precisely, a transition from a “pure” economic system to a mixed one.

In a modern mixed economy, the state must perform the following functions:

1) ensuring the institutional and legal basis for the activities of business entities (determination of rights and forms of ownership, conditions for concluding and fulfilling contracts, relationships between trade unions and employers, general principles foreign economic activity etc.);

2) eliminating or compensating for the negative effects of market behavior and meeting people’s needs for public goods, which the market cannot produce: solving issues of national defense, ecology, education, science, healthcare, etc.;

3) carrying out economic policy aimed at:

Maintenance normal functioning market mechanism;

Smoothing out cyclical fluctuations;

Overcoming the consequences of economic shocks;

Providing prerequisites for long-term economic growth(especially in fiscal, monetary and structural policies);

4) implementation of an active and principled antimonopoly policy;

5) maintaining a stable social climate in society through the redistribution of available income;

6) carrying out the state’s stabilization policy aimed at restoring and maintaining macroeconomic equilibrium(in particular, full employment, stable level prices). There are formal and real stabilization. Formal stabilization is the achievement of a stable state according to one macroeconomic indicator (inflation, unemployment, change in gross domestic income). Real stabilization means not only, for example, a reduction in unemployment, but also the presence of conditions for economic growth. The transition to real stabilization presupposes the need to increase government demand, investment, and strict control of prices and incomes.

More on topic 36.1. Transition economy: concept, features, varieties, features, functions:

1. Chapter 2. Features of managing restructuring and reengineering in a transition economy
2. CHAPTER 9 TRANSITION ECONOMY: ESSENCE, FEATURES, DEVELOPMENT TRENDS. ROLE OF THE STATE IN TRANSITION ECONOMY

Modern classical economic theory studies the mature state of a market economy from the standpoint of stability and balance, orderliness and homogeneity, emphasizing development as a progressive process. In the last quarter of the 20th century. In connection with the transformation of industrial society into post-industrial society, caused by a revolutionary leap in the development of productive forces, a new science of transitology began to take shape - the theory of economic transformation. Transitology (economics of transition)- an economic scientific discipline, the subject of which is the problems of transformation of economic systems, and the object is the economy of a country or countries in the process of transition from one state of the socio-economic system to a qualitatively different state.

Transitional economic relations are characterized by the fact that at this moment they combine the features of both the previous and the new structure of society. A transition economy represents a transformation of the entire system of economic relations, and not just their reform individual elements. Transition economy- intermediate state of the economy as a result of socio-economic transformations; this is a transitional state from one socio-economic system to another.

An economy in transition has a number of specific characteristics that distinguish it from an economy that is in a relatively stationary state and develops on its own basis. Firstly, the transition economy is multi-structured. The economic structure is a special type of economic relations. Multistructure - the presence of a number of economic sectors characterized by various forms production. The main feature of the intersystem transition is that the economic relations of both economic systems - both the outgoing and the emerging - coexist in society. Secondly, the instability of development. Each of the mature stages of the evolution of society and the economy was and is whole system. A transition economy is characterized by a combination of both old and new economic forms and relationships. Therefore, it is objectively incomplete, and therefore unstable. A transition economy involves the search for new, more effective forms of economic relations. Miscalculations and mistakes are made along the way. Reverse movement is possible. For example, in cases where the use of a particular economic innovation worsens the macroeconomic situation. Thirdly, alternative development. The results of the development of a transition economy may be different. Economic reforms are aimed at achieving a certain expected result. However, these reforms may not live up to expectations. Many economic reforms either did not produce positive results, or they did, but they were too insignificant. As a result of the completion of the period of transition from one economic system to another, different variants economic structure, which represent different options for the development and evolution of society. Fourthly, the special nature of the contradictions. In a transition economy, economic contradictions are contradictions of development (between new and old elements of production relations), and not contradictions of functioning (within each production relationship). Fifthly, historicity, i.e. the transient nature of the transition economy, which is replaced by a period of mature development of the economic system. The duration of transformations in a transition economy is explained both by the complexity of the ongoing processes and by the inertia of the previous economic system (the inability to quickly change the technological basis and structure of the national economy, create new economic institutions, train personnel, etc.). Transition period- a historically short period during which the liquidation or radical transformation of one economic system and the formation of another occurs.

Features of the transition economy in Russia

In accordance with the criteria of European Union experts, since mid-1994 Russia has been classified as a country with a transition type of economy. These criteria mainly come down to the relationship between centralized and market methods of economic management. When it became clear that elements of the market and market infrastructure in Russia had emerged and became indestructible, the European Union recognized the transitional nature of the Russian economy.

A transition economy is a special state of an economic system when it operates during the period of transition of society from one established historical system to another. The transition period is a period of time during which society carries out fundamental economic, political and social transformations, and the country's economy moves into a new, qualitatively different state in connection with fundamental reforms of the economic system.

The first factor: such an economy is an intersystem formation. Therefore, the essence of a transition economy is a mixture, a combination of administrative-command and modern market systems with their contradictions and differently functioning elements.

Second factor: if command and market economies are characterized by a certain integrity and sustainability of development, then a transition economy is characterized by instability of the state, a violation of integrity. This situation, which is a crisis for the existing economic system, can be considered normal for a transforming economy. The preservation and reproduction of instability and disequilibrium of the system for a relatively long time has its own reason: a change in the goal. If in an ordinary, stable system such a goal is its self-preservation, then for a transition economy it is transformation into another system.

Third factor: a transition economy is characterized by quantitative and qualitative changes in the composition of elements. It “inherited” the structural elements of the previous system: state enterprises, collective farms, production cooperatives, households and the state. But these elements function in a qualitatively different, transforming economic system, and therefore change both their content and their “functions associated with the emergence of a market economy. At the same time, in a transition economy, new elements that are not characteristic of the old system appear: entrepreneurial structures of various forms property, non-state enterprises, exchanges, commercial banks, non-state pension, insurance and other funds, farms.

Fourth factor: in a transition economy there is a qualitative change in systemic connections and relationships. The old planning and directive ties between economic entities disintegrated and disappeared, clearing space for the formation of new market ties. However, the latter are still of a “transitional” unstable nature and appear in such a deformed form as “barter” payments between enterprises; mutual non-payments between business entities are characterized by frequent failures and crisis manifestations.

It should be noted that the concept of “transition economy” is not new in the history of the development of our country. It existed in the 20s of our century and consisted of 5 socio-economic structures: socialist, private capitalist, state capitalist, small-scale commodity and patriarchal. However, its goals and direction of transformation processes were directly opposite to the modern transition economy. Then the main task was the transition from a multi-structure economy to a unified - socialist one. Now the task is exactly the opposite - to replace the uniform economy of state socialism with a multi-structured national economy, which serves as the basis of a modern market economy.

The purpose of transformations in a transition economy is market model market economy.

The main difficulty of the transition period is the creation of market economy institutions. Institutions in a broad sense are the rules of economic behavior and the mechanisms that ensure their implementation, as well as economic organizations, business entities. During the transition period, institutions are formed, without which it cannot function normally. market economy: private property, economic freedom and responsibility of business entities, competition, market infrastructure, etc.

A characteristic feature of a transition economy is institutional incompleteness, the absence or embryonic state of individual market institutions. In most CIS countries, this is, first of all, the lack of a land market, poor development stock market and the entire market infrastructure as a whole.

A distinctive feature of a transition economy is the scale and depth of ongoing transformations. They seize the foundations of the existing system; property relations, political and legal systems of society, social consciousness. Thus, the transition to a market economy requires profound changes in the institutional structure of society, institutional transformation: the transformation of property relations (privatization) and the introduction of the institution of private property, liberalization of the economy, the creation of a package of market laws and limiting the role of the state, the formation of new business entities - commercial banks, various exchanges, investment and pension funds and other systems.

The main feature of the economy in the transition period - the inertia of reproduction is associated with the continuity of the reproduction process, excluding development on the principle of the initial “destruction to the ground” of everything old, and then the creation of everything new on this basis. This continuity also predetermines the impossibility of quick replacement. existing forms others, desirable. Such actions inevitably bring chaos to the production process, deform it, and lead to a decline in production. The inertia of reproduction in this sense presupposes the preservation in a transition economy - and for a sufficiently long period - of old economic forms.

This, first of all, is manifested in the preservation for some time of the structure of production, the transformation of which requires relatively long term. The existing socio-economic structure of society cannot change quickly.

The inertia of the reproduction process gives rise to a number of consequences that are important to keep in mind in economic policy. Firstly, it determines the deep continuity of the transition economy with the initial state of transition. Secondly, it determines relatively long terms transition economy. Thirdly, inertia enhances the preservation of the social mentality that developed in the past.

Ignoring the inertia of the reproductive process is an underestimation of the objective nature of social evolution, admiration for the supposedly special role of the conscious principle in the development of society.

Another feature is the intensive preferential development of new forms and relationships. This feature emphasizes the mechanism of transition from one stage to another. This is a manifestation of the irreversibility of the evolutionary process, as well as its main tendencies.

Challenges of the transition economy in Russia

The first task of a transition economy is to combat the features of a centrally controlled economy.

The main features of a centrally controlled economy are as follows:

1. Supermonopoly - combination large sizes enterprises and a certain stereotype of economic behavior - the desire to maintain high prices, a unified policy (collusion) to extract subsidies, loans (preferential), tax benefits.

2. Militarized production structure, the main component of which is the military-industrial complex - the main consumer of resources, qualified work force(labor aristocracy).

3. A cost-based pricing system that does not allow for a realistic assessment of economic efficiency.

4. Lack of a mechanism for the economic protection of natural resources, production orientation towards the maximum use of resources, and not towards their rational use, incl. and during export.

5. Low standard of living: in the Russian Federation – 2% rich, 87% poor; in the USA – 2% rich, 80% – middle class.

6. Collectivist psychology that prevents transformation.

The economic basis of a planned economy is state ownership, the method of its movement is planned, banking system limited to a single state bank, pricing is carried out by a single economic center.

The transition period from a centrally controlled to a market economy will last decades, as it did in Germany and Japan after the war. Today the task is to ensure the effective functioning of the transition economy.

In determining the causes of the collapse of totalitarian regimes, two opposing positions have emerged. The first proceeds from the fact that before Gorbachev’s arrival, the difficulties of the socialist system did not indicate its unviability. Politically and economically it has been stable since the 30s, i.e. 55 years. The inept policy of perestroika led to its destruction.

From the second point of view, command economy unviable, it existed due to the high rate of introduction of new factors of production based on a repressive regime and a low standard of living, its shortcomings are systemic.

External reasons for the decline of a centrally controlled economy include: the US rearmament program, expenses and defeat in the Afghan war, falling oil prices, rising living standards in developed countries. In general, it is believed that the socialist system could have survived until 2000 with a 2% increase in national income.

Of course, creating a market is not an end in itself, but a means of creating an effective economic system. It is characterized by the following features:

economic basis - private property in various forms;

form of movement – ​​regulated market;

banking system - commercial banks led by the Central Bank;

Pricing is free with a number of fixed prices.

The main tasks during the period of transition economy:

1. Overcoming crisis phenomena that deepened after society entered a transition economy.

Formation of market relations and market infrastructure.

Reforming property relations as the basis of the economic system.

4. Creation of conditions for economic freedom for all business entities.

5. Creation of a developed system of social protection and social guarantees that protect the population from the severe consequences of economic reform.

Practice shows that every post-socialist country that has taken the path of transition to a market economy has its own concepts and programs for solving the main problems of the transition economy and the formation of market relations. At the same time, several general, “mandatory” areas can be identified in them:

1. liberalization of the economy, associated primarily with the release of prices. This is the first step in economic reform. It allows us to identify the real relationship between supply and demand, identify unprofitable types of production and thereby outline priority directions for structural restructuring of the national economy. Subsequent (and often simultaneous) steps - liberation from state dictate financial relations, as well as domestic and foreign trade;

2. reforming property relations through denationalization and privatization of state property. It is as a result of privatization that a variety of forms of ownership should be established: state, collective and private. They are necessary to overcome the state monopoly, form a diverse market economy, reduce the scope of state regulation of social production, create and develop competitive market relations;

3. stabilization of the economy, which means the elimination sharp fluctuations free prices and the formation of stable financial relations;

4. restructuring (structural adjustment) of the economy and individual enterprises, including measures to rehabilitate production, bringing the structure of the national economy in line with the requirements of a modern market economy and the needs of the country, restructuring technical base enterprises based on advanced, highly efficient technologies;

5. integration of the national economy into the system of world economic relations, the formation of an open economy. For this we need to liberalize foreign trade, provide reliable legal and economic protection foreign investment, ensure true convertibility of the ruble.

The most important role in a transition economy is played by such priority measures as large-scale liberalization and consistent stabilization. Liberalization involves free pricing and the end of government control in trade. The importance of liberalization lies in its ability to overcome two fundamental shortcomings of a centralized economy: distorted incentives and limited information. Liberalization forces enterprises to focus on consumer demand and making profits in a competitive environment. It promotes pricing that corresponds to the real relationship between supply and demand, providing signal information to the manufacturer about the need for certain goods. Liberalization at the first stage inevitably leads to a jump in prices, and inflation interferes with the normal functioning of the economy. But, despite all the costs, liberalization makes it possible to break strict administrative ties between the state and enterprises and reduce subsidies, thereby creating conditions for stabilizing the economy.

Macroeconomic stabilization of the national economy means reducing inflation and the state budget deficit, ending preferential lending and excess money emission. Stabilization includes overcoming imbalances in the national economy and foreign economic sphere. With all the variety of methods, it usually includes measures such as control over money supply and its regulation, introduction of internal currency convertibility, regulation of the discount rate exchange rate and other, hard monetarist methods. However, in those countries where there is high social and political instability, the implementation of such a policy significantly increases social tension and is even fraught with a social explosion. In such conditions, soft methods of financial regulation are more effective.

After the completion of macroeconomic stabilization and liberalization, the priority problems become issues related to the creation of market institutions and fiscal policy.

Methods for solving problems of the transition period include:

1. Stabilization is an economic policy aimed at limiting inflation and saturating the market, which includes:

Liberalization of prices;

Minimization of the state budget (commercialization of the activities of state-owned enterprises);

Increase in the cost of credit (up to a maximum of 210% of the Central Bank rate);

Introduction of internal convertibility of the national currency;

Containment of income growth.

2. Transformation of forms of ownership:

Privatization (restitution - return of property former owners in a number of European countries);

Removing restrictions on private sector development.

3. Changing the structure of the economy:

Antimonopoly policy;

Conversion;

Bankruptcy mechanism;

Integration into the global market.

1.2 Main features and contradictions of the transition economy in Russia

The specificity of a transition economy is manifested in its special features:

1. Permanent reform, i.e. carrying out economic reform. Economic reform is a consciously carried out transformation aimed at changing existing economic relations. Causes economic reforms V different countries different - change objective conditions, political forces in power, the ineffectiveness of previously used tools for achieving economic or social goals. Their need arises regularly; they usually do not affect the deep foundations of the system. Reforms that seek to transform the system as a whole are of a different nature; they are longer lasting.

The first third of the 20th century was characterized by increased government intervention in the economy, the range of forms of which varied from the planned economy in the USSR to Roosevelt's New Deal. In economic theory, this period is characterized as the Keynesian revolution. Keynes's theory of government intervention dominated theory and practice for several decades and assumed that the market is inefficient and must be limited. In the last quarter of the 20th century, a period of economic reforms began, the meaning of which can be described as a market renaissance. Since the beginning of the 80s, the strengthening of market principles in the economy began in the USA, England, the USSR, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

2. Economic crisis - transformational recession (Kornai), its features:

the crisis is universal in nature, has affected all spheres and sectors of the economy, its level is critical, and the crisis is becoming self-deepening;

long-term (nine years);

labor and capital are just beginning to be released from obsolete industries;

its degree does not correspond to a transformational decline, but is a consequence of a number of deviations of Russian economic policy from world market standards:

Fear of the corporate market and focus on creating a market for enterprises (now being corrected through financial and industrial groups);

Establishing loan interest at a level below inflationary price increases in order to supply the private sector with funds for purchasing the public sector;

Sale of state property at symbolic prices, which blocks investment activity;

Setting energy prices several times higher average level prices (bringing them to world prices);

The introduction of internal convertibility of the ruble in the context of a gap between the dollar exchange rate and the real purchasing power of the ruble, which gives an inflationary effect;

Instability of the economic and political system.

The stability (sustainability) of the economic system is determined by:

1. Load – optimal satisfaction of needs through the use of limited resources. The historical level of consumption is inertial, therefore, in a crisis, the load on the weakened economic system increases.

2. The structure of the system – i.e. system of production relations - the old - planned economy is broken and a new - market economy - is built.

3. Rigidity - the ability to resist deformation. It characterizes the conservatism of the economic system, its ability to develop within the framework of a certain economic mechanism.

4. Imperfections of the system - deviations from the norm that weaken stability, but are easily eliminated.

The degree of instability of the transition economy, as already noted, is objectively high, which is due to the fact that the level of consumption (load) is decreasing (meat consumption decreased by 42%), but stability is not restored, since the state of the economic system can be described as prohibitive. The decrease in agricultural production and the income of most Russian families has led to a reduction and deterioration in the structure of food consumption. For 1990-1996 Only the consumption of potatoes increased, while other products decreased. Moreover, if on the eve of the reform (in 1990) the families of workers and employees (mainly urban families) consumed more milk and especially meat than the families of collective farmers (rural families), then by 1996 the situation had changed to the opposite, which is explained by the large role in the food supply of rural families of private farms, the potential of which has increased.

The shortage of domestic food has to be filled by importing food from abroad. The share of food imports, which reached 24% in the USSR in 1980 and decreased to 16% in 1990, began to grow again in Russia. In 1991-1994. it was 28%. In subsequent years it decreased slightly. The country has to spend significant foreign currency resources on food protection.

Analyzing the nature of the contradictions of the modern economy of the transition period, it should be taken into account that the dialectic of duality is being replaced by the dialectic of multiplicity. Therefore, by analogy with Hegel’s dialectic of duality, the main contradiction in a transitional economy to a market economy should be considered the contradiction between the public and private (private-corporate) sectors, which is resolved in the process of struggle between them. However, abandoning the political concept of struggle, we can say that these sectors of the economy should not fight to expand their scale, but occupy an economic niche corresponding to the economic nature of each of these sectors, i.e. cover those sectors of production of material goods and services for the normal functioning of which they provide the most favorable conditions.

The main contradictions of the transition economy are due to the existence of the following main obstacles to the establishment of a market economy:

1. Dominance of group interests. In a centrally controlled economy, the ruling elite consisted of enterprise directors, party and government officials (senior) - 5.9 million people (including clerks and family members). With the liquidation of state property, they lose control over the economy and their resistance is clearly visible in the example of agrarian reform, which is being slowed down in every possible way.

2. Anti-capitalist mentality: the subordination of the individual to the state must be replaced by a new economic psychology, compatible with the principle of freedom of enterprise, deep differentiation of income, and faith in personal strength.

3. Lack of trust in the government, in power, which is one of the obstacles to economic liberalization. It is due to constant changes in the economic course (at first they tried to reform the socialist system), and imperfect legislation. But the main thing has been achieved: private property has been constitutionally formalized.

4. The syndrome of market socialism, according to which it is considered possible to transition to a market (i.e., efficient) economy without private property, only on the basis of changing forms of management. The transition to a regulated market is being popularized, i.e. to market socialism. But the source of all redistribution processes is only production, an increase in taxes on which (i.e. on entrepreneurs) undermines production itself. The desire for social justice leads to its violation and the transition to the old state distribution of poverty-stricken incomes.

5. Mafia structures and corruption. The number of registered crimes in Russia in the 90s (identified and registered by internal affairs bodies as socially dangerous acts), provided for by criminal law, increased in Russia from 1.8 million in 1990 to 2.8 million in 1992-1993, and then, after a slight decline in 1997-1998, to almost 3.0 million in 1999-2001.

6. Regionalism and separatism – claims of regions to everything they have Natural resources(Chechen Republic, Yakutia, Tyumen...).

The owner of all its natural resources can only be a territorial entity capable of independent survival in economic, political and military relations. If this is not the case, then the region cannot count on impunity for separatist aspirations (secession, isolation). Economic separatism excludes the organization of a rent taxation system, in which rent from natural resources, of which every citizen of Russia is an equal co-owner, is the optimal source of pensions and other social payments to citizens.

When preparing the article, the following materials were used:

1. Anisimov A. The true scale of the decline in production and a change in the model of Russian economic policy // Russian Economic Journal. 2003. No. 9.

2. Aukutsionek S.P. The theory of transition to the market. M., 2003.

3. Belokrylova O.S. Course of lectures on the theory of transition economy Rostov: RSU, 2001. Part 1., Topic 1.

4. Belokrylova O.S. Conceptual foundations of a transition economy // Butkevich V. Between past and future // Economics and life. 2005. No. 5.

5. Belokrylova O.S., Volchik V.V., Muradov A.A. Institutional features of income distribution in a transition economy. Rostov n/d: Publishing house Rost. University, 2000.

6. Buzgalin A.V. Transitional economy. Lecture course. M., 2006.

7. Grigoriev L.K. a new stage of transformation. // Economic Issues. No. 4. 2006

8. Gaidar E. State and evolution. M., 2005.

9. Kuzyk B. Development strategy: tasks of transition to a geo-economic model // REJ. No. 3. 2000.

10. Kulikov V. Social imperatives for continuing economic reform. // REJ. No. 1. 2000.

The economic development of society is inevitably associated with economic transitions from one state to another. Theoretically, it is necessary to distinguish between transitional relations and a transitional economy. What is common to all transitional economic relations is that during the transition period they combine some features and properties of both previous and new ones. economic processes. Changes of the first kind are constantly happening before our eyes - the forms of ownership of enterprises change, completely new forms of income appear, relations between people regarding property rights change, etc. And earlier, in previous systems, similar changes constantly occurred. As an example, we can cite the changes that the evolution of money underwent, economic calculation as a method of managing enterprises in the socialist system, forms of remuneration, etc. Constantly occurring local changes are characteristic of any developing economy at all stages of its development.

It is necessary to distinguish from local changes in the economy general changes which characterize the transition of the entire system of economic relations to a new quality, when the basic properties and initial relations of the system are transformed and a new economic system is formed instead of the previous one. In the latter case, there is a transition from one economic and socio-political system to another, qualitatively different system. History knows many examples of this kind. Over the course of several centuries, the feudal system of relations was painfully transformed, through a series of social revolutions, into a capitalist system based on new property relations, when personal dependence was replaced by a system of personal freedom of producers and civil society. Transition from the capitalist system of the 19th century. to a socialist type system in Russia also had the character of comprehensive changes in the economy and other spheres of society.

Transition economy- This is a transitional state from one economic system to another. In this case, there is both a change in the foundations of this system and a radical change in the entire system. From the above, the main features of a transition economy and its differences from established economic systems follow.

Firstly, if the established economy is reproduced on its own economic and institutional basis, then the transitional one is intended to form the basis of a new economic system. The basis of the economic system is one of key concepts in economic theory.

Concept "the basis of the economic system“includes, first of all, the forms of economic relations established in the economy or the type of coordination of activities between economic entities. Often this also includes the dominant type of property and institutions inherent in the system that organize its functioning. When these elements of the economic system are formed, then we can talk about the completion of the transition state of the economy and its entry into the stage of development on its own basis.

Secondly, the property of a transition economy is its multi-structure. An economic structure is a special type of economic relations that exists along with other relations. In any economy, including a developed one, there are different types of economic relations (structures), characterized by different forms of ownership, interests, and ways of doing business. For example, modern economy The West is characterized by a large layer of small enterprises, the source of functioning and development of which is the own labor of their owners. However, this layer of producers exists on the basis of the dominant type of coordination and capitalist forms of ownership.

A transition economy is a different matter. Multi Layer™ is here present as an equal element of the basis. In a transition economy, both old and new foundations exist for a certain period of time, and only gradually a new system of connections is formed. Overcoming multi-structure at the heart of the economy is one of the key goals of a transition economy.

Thirdly, a transition economy is characterized by unsustainable development as its internal property. Stable transition economies do not exist due to the fact that there are constant changes in old relations in the absence of new institutions, norms and rules, new relations arise in which new ones participate economic entities, there is a clash of old and new economic interests. Because of this, the tendency to constant aggravation of economic, social and political relations is an internal property of transition economies. All this requires the creation of special ways to maintain stability and eliminate extreme conditions that contribute to economic disruption.

Fourthly, a transition economy is characterized by relative duration of transformations. It is explained not only by the complexity and contradictory nature of the processes; This is primarily a consequence of natural factors that do not depend on political power: the known inertia of previous approaches, the impossibility of simultaneously changing the technological basis, replacing personnel, changing the structure of the national economy, or creating new political and economic institutions. All this requires the creation of a special mechanism for coordinating interests, and state support those economic entities that find themselves in a difficult situation for reasons beyond their control.

Sometimes a transition economy is identified with mixed economy. However, this is illegal. By form A transition economy has common features with a mixed economy. In both the first and second cases, within the framework of one economy, there is a combination of heterogeneous elements: the market and state regulation, capitalist forms and processes of social orientation, etc. However, this hides a qualitative difference between the types of economies.

A mixed economy is a characteristic of the current modern economic system of developed countries as an integrity that is reproduced on the basis of the sustainable unity of the market system and government regulation. A transition economy is not an economic system reproducing itself, but a transition from one system to another. Although in a transition economy a state of equilibrium must be constantly maintained, this is not a property of reproduction of the system on its own basis, but means elimination of violations and instability of the transition economy in the course of solving its historical problems. The transition economy, despite its duration, covers a limited period, and a mixed modern economy is a permanent state of developed economic systems of the late 20th and 21st centuries.

During the socio-economic evolution of the 20th century. The world is faced with several types of economic transitions. Despite the fact that they differ both in time of occurrence and in content, what they have in common is a change in the basic basic relations of economic systems. These changes led to a radical transformation of previous systems and even the emergence of new systems.

Historical excursion

A special historical variety and example of transition economies was economy of the transition period from capitalism to socialism. Historically, it existed in Russia during a special period that began with the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917 and ended in the 1930s, which is reflected in the Constitution Russian Federation 1937 The theoretical justification of the content of the economy of the transition period was based on Marxist principles about the opposition of capitalist and socialist systems, as well as on the theory of socialist revolution. The main features of the theory of this transition economy were the following.

Firstly, the destruction of private property and the formation of state (public) property as the basis of the system. The theory of economics in transition was based on the concept of creating “pure” economic systems that did not include any other foreign elements and relationships. The essence of the transition period, according to this approach, is the revolutionary replacement of capitalist relations with new, socialist ones.

The multistructure of the economy was considered as a property inherent only in the stage of transition economy. It was not allowed to have structures in developed system. The task of the transition period is to transform the economy into a single-structure “pure” socialist system.

Secondly, a special role and significance during the transition period was assigned to state and political authorities as the conductor and guarantor of transformations. This was expressed in the position of the dictatorship of the proletariat as an organizing force of change and a weapon for suppressing resistance to change.

Thirdly, the theory of the economy of the transition period was based on the need to minimize the duration of the transition, reducing it to a limited period. Hence the name of this type of transition economy - transition economy.

Thus, the theory of economics in transition is extremely radical option transition economy from one economic system to another. Historical experience and the lessons of this option show that, despite the concentration of the forces of the entire society on building a new system, on the creation of domestic industry, the forced transformation of agriculture along the path of collectivization, the costs and losses in the conditions of a radical transformation of society were exceptionally great. This was expressed in the elimination of the system of market relations, the nationalization of the economy, its one-sided structure, and the destruction of productive forces in agriculture. Politically, this concept of a transitional economy was one of the foundations of repression in the 1930s. These and other factors undermined the potential for self-improvement of the social system in the USSR in the future.

Transformation of the economy- the concept is broader in content than the transition economy. The transformation process covers both the stage (period) of replacing previous relationships with new ones ( transition economy proper), and the process is relatively long formation and formation of a new economic model, the whole process of its formation. Thus, from the transition economy, which constitutes the initial stage of the formation of the economic system of the state, one should distinguish the transformation of the system, which goes through several stages of development.

There are other types of transitional states of the economy, when changes are carried out within the same economic system, transforming the forms economic ties and lead to the creation of a system of new institutions regulating the life of society. These periods in economic development occur, for example, when the previous methods of regulation economic life the entire society ceases to function, old institutions cannot cope with the changed conditions and increased capabilities of economic entities, chaos and unpredictability in the development of the system increases. A way out of this situation requires a change in the nature of the action of previous institutions and structures, previous methods of influencing the economy, the development of new methods of regulation, and a transition to new theoretical concepts development.

Historical excursion

In the 20th century example of transitional economic changes The transformation of regulation of the Western economy after the crisis of 1929-1932 serves as a similar example. The latter, ending the period of crises of the capitalist system of the 19th - early 20th centuries, clearly showed the inconsistency of the previous approach to regulating economic life, based on blindly following the “invisible hand” of the market.

The emergence of government regulation methods the entire economy of the country , recognition of the need for systematic macroeconomic policy measures aimed not only at eliminating the shortcomings of the market system, but also at regulating the behavior of economic entities; The transition to new, Keynesian theoretical concepts of the capitalist economy characterized the onset of a new stage in the development of the capitalist system. These changes covered a fairly long period modern history and for a long time ensured relatively stable development of Western countries.

The oil crisis in the mid-1970s caused other consequences. After this crisis, not only individual subjects of the domestic market, but also the largest corporations and states as subjects of international economic relations began to act as an object of regulation. The role of economically coordinated policies of states within the G7, as well as the role of international organizations and institutions, has increased. New integration entities were formed in various regions of the world. From the point of view of the domestic economy, these changes accelerated the transition to new technological principles, structural changes national economy, transition to a new wave of scientific and technological revolution.

Economic transformations are of a transitional nature in individual countries and in those cases when the historically established economic system and structure of the national economy in new historical conditions must be changed in connection with a change in the place of a given country in the system of international economic and political relations. As a rule, such targeted transformations are associated with elimination of deformations in the economies of countries. They are caused by external causes or a combination of internal and external causes. An example of the transformation of economies of this kind is overcoming a long period of instability in the development of the economies of states in the development of Latin American countries. As a rule, such periods are associated not with cyclical reasons, but with contradictions in the development of states and require the use of stabilization programs of various types.

Transitional economy inherent modern Russia, is a special historical variety of transition economies, the result of which is a transition to a new type of economic system and model national economy Russia. As a result of the transformations, radical changes took place in all aspects of society and Russia's place in the world.

The Russian transition economy has a number of qualitative features compared to previous types of transition economies and economic transformations in the 20th century. First of all, it is qualitatively different from the types of transformation of economies within the same framework of the economic system, which are associated with the nature of the forms of economic coordination. At first glance, there is much in common, for example, between the transitional economy of Russia and the change in forms of coordination during the crisis of 1929-1932. Deep economic crisis production, the collapse of many ideas about the previous system, the radicalization of economic policy - all this took place during the Great Depression, and is still happening now. However, on this basis, it is inappropriate to consider the modern transition economy of Russia as a type of transition to a new type of regulation.

The modern transformation of the Russian economy is, firstly, a transition to an economy with a fundamentally new economic basis compared to the Soviet one, and represents a market system for coordinating its subjects. In this aspect, this is not a transformation of the economy, but a transition from one system to another. However, if the creation of a centralized economy could occur in a short time, then the creation of a market system is inevitable long-term character and features of spontaneous, gradual development.

Secondly, this transition from a “clean” economy to a sour cream type economy. The former, socialist economic system, in contrast to pre-revolutionary Russia of 1917, had only socialist state relations. Non-state forms of ownership (collective farm-cooperative, personal) were essentially nationalized. This was manifested in the state's regulation of reproduction in all types and forms of farms. The modern transition economy faces a practical task - to restore the real diversity of forms of ownership inherent in any economy.

Thirdly, another feature of the modern transition economy in comparison with the previous economy is the different ways to solve social problems. The previous economic system was characterized by a universal system of guarantees. This factor did not exist in pre-revolutionary history Russia XIX- beginning of the 20th century State socialism, having created a system of guarantees, made it difficult for the population to perceive radical measures carried out within its boundaries. By external form the transition economy, on the one hand, seems to be returning to diversity and complexity economic structure society, and on the other hand, it refuses the forms of a socially guaranteed society in the conditions of new enormous opportunities that are created by the productive forces of the 21st century. This contradiction of the transition economy and the entire transformation is complemented by other difficulties and contradictions of the transition.

Transformation of the economy of Russia, as well as other states that emerged on the territory former USSR, was carried out in conditions destruction Soviet Union as a single state. This had and is having serious economic and other consequences.

Should be considered geopolitical nature modern transition economy and transformation. It affects not only the relations between the former republics of the USSR - the new states, but also affects geopolitical processes and the balance of power in the world between various states and centers of power. New ones are being formed international relations and relations, new centers of influence in the world, which directly affects the formation national models economies in post-Soviet states and Russia.

The concept and essence of a transition economy

Definition 1

A transition economy is a period when the economic system in a country is changing.

For example, the most recent such economic transition in our country was the time of transition to market relations, that is, the end of the 20th century. Today, a market economy and market relations dominate in Russia. The main features of a transition economy are presented more clearly in the figure:

Figure 1. Features of a transition economy. Author24 - online exchange of student works

The main directions of changes towards the transition to a new economy:

1. All economic and social relations within the state, that is, the entire economic system is undergoing global changes in its basis and structure;
2. The principles, as well as methods and methods of managing the country are completely subject to change. The production process is organized differently, the conditions of economic interactions change, the distribution of resources begins to occur in other directions;
3. The country's legislation is changing, due to global changes in the economic structure and system as a whole, additions are being made to laws in some places, and some legislative documents are subject to complete revision.

The essence of a transition economy is also shown in the figure:

Features of a transition economy

A transition economy, that is, a transition to another system, implies a number of features that are characteristic of all countries and their economies:

• The main feature of a transition economy is recognized by scientists around the world as in this case a transition to a completely different type of economic system is being implemented, but not as a way of regulating this system;
• Another feature is that the new system of the transition economy also combines elements of the old system, thereby resulting in a smooth transition rather than an abrupt one, and most of the innovations in the transition economy are built on old methods and experience;
• The instability of the new economic system, which implies chaos, as well as crisis processes during the transition itself, that is, when the new system has not yet fully come into its own, and the old system has not completely lost its power. This period is considered not the best for the country, since most often many sectors of the economy suffer because of this: trade, production, Agriculture etc. Establishing a new economic system, as a rule, requires quite a lot of time, usually from a year to several years;
• Significant changes in the manufacturing sector. Since the economy to a greater extent depends on and depends on the production processes in the country, on their development and quality, it is this sector that is undergoing great changes, namely, the distribution function begins to work differently, consumer groups change, innovations with suppliers of raw materials, exchange is organized for another, etc.;
• In connection with the transition to a new economic system, the very structure of the economy is changing. The sector of the country's economy where the form of ownership itself is considered depending on the means of production is called the structure of the economy. The economic structure implements its own type of all economic relations. Thus, the following structures in the economy are known: municipal, private property (small production), capitalist, as well as state, etc.;
• Long transition from one system to another. If the transition is carried out by an old system to a completely new one, dissimilar to it, then this process can last not several years, but several decades in order to rebuild all processes (trade, tax, legislative, social, etc.).

As a rule, the time during which the transition occurs is called a transition economy.

Types of transition economies

In a transition economy, there are several types:

• The first type of transition economy is called natural or, in some economic documents, naturally - evolutionary. The very name of the type of economy suggests that it is formed on its own under the influence of certain factors. Such factors may be global development scientifically technical progress(races in the field of information, innovative technologies), social and cultural development of society (improving the quality of knowledge, skills, experience exchange, etc.), improvement legislative framework and so on. The natural type of transition economy proceeds quite calmly, without unnecessary problems for the country, since the country is preparing for it, as if realizing in advance that it will smoothly move from one economic system to another;
• Another type of transition economy is a reformist one. It assumes a scenario planned in advance by the government, which is based on a transition from one system to another. Reforming society, the social environment, including the country’s economy, begins overnight, that is, everything changes in one day. Such a transitional economy is difficult to adapt to society, as it involves many problems that, although they were determined in advance, their resolution in practice requires a lot of effort and time. It should be noted that the state has been preparing for this type of transition economy for several years; they are also trying to solve problems using progressive methods and techniques, and this type should be chosen only if the society has a highly developed structure and capabilities.

Note 1

These types of economy determine further development economic system that the state has chosen for itself. Some countries are subject to natural processes of evolution, while others, on the contrary, use reformatory paths.

Each country, depending on its resources and capabilities, chooses a path for itself, but in an era high technology It is preferable to use the same path of reforms; it is only necessary to prepare for this in advance, create programs and systematize the development of economic relations.

Thus, a transition economy is a time of transition from one economic system to another. It has a number of features, taking into account which you can make this transition less painful. There are also two types of transition economies; in modern times it is preferable to use the reformist path.