Not Only the Market

Successful transition for any post-communist country is reliant upon market, government and the civil sector. Potucek's pioneering study of the Czech Republic highlights the early transitional mistakes made during the Klaus era with respect to the role of these sectors. Not Only the Market examines the balance between where the sectors are or should be and makes useful comparisons with other post-communist countries. Focusing on developmental issues, the book looks at a number of public concerns including social and health care reform, privatization and the emerging patterns of corporatism and examines problems such as insufficient legislation, excessive lenience and the incompetence of public administration which has created an unreasonably large space for socio-pathological forces - corruption, Mafia activity and the siphoning of public funds into private hands. The causes and consequences of these forces are considered and Potucek provides a blueprint of reform which emphasizes the necessity of a conscious public policy to optimize both freedom and inequality.