Silvio Borner – författare

The liberalization of trade and factor movements and the adoption of a common currency proposed for the EEC in 1992 have important implications for the rest of the world. Nineteen experts from academia, different countries and regions and international organizations analyze these implications theoretically and empirically. In general, the authors expect Europe 1992 to generate positive effects on trade and welfare, although concerns are raised over possible, inward looking policies by the Community. For many small and distant countries the effects are shown likely to be insignificant in any case.

Ten case studies pitting Latin American countries against Southeast Asian ones reveal the sources of political credibility. Despite the seemingly superior strength of authoritarian reputation democratic control is the more successful road.

The state and its institutions are crucial for economic development: for better and for worse. This insight informs this important, up-to-date and authoritative survey of new trends in growth economics and the widely divergent economic performance of developing countries - for example, between Latin America and South-east Asia - which seemed to be similarly placed just a generation ago. The decisive role of the political dimension in economic growth seems clear but there are many challenges to be met in getting an analytical handle on the precise determinants and in testing empirically for this. This is the challenge taken up by the international team of contributors.

These proceedings focus attention on issues in the present polycentric world economy in the realm of international debt, trade, investment, financial markets and policy co-ordination. The book attempts to deal with the opposing forces and the basic schisma underlying these issues.

The liberalization of trade and factor movements and the adoption of a common currency proposed for the EEC in 1992 have important implications for the rest of the world. Nineteen experts from academia, different countries and regions and international organizations analyze these implications theoretically and empirically. In general, the authors expect Europe 1992 to generate positive effects on trade and welfare, although concerns are raised over possible, inward looking policies by the Community. For many small and distant countries the effects are shown likely to be insignificant in any case.

The liberalization of trade and factor movements and the adoption of a common currency proposed for the EEC in 1992 have important implications for the rest of the world. For many small and distant countries the effects are shown likely to be insignificant in any case.

Why have the economies of some developing countries fallen back while others have advanced? Why have so many stabilization and structural adjustment programs failed to deliver growth dividends? This book shows that there is a common and valid answer: political credibility defined as the predictability of the institutional rules of the game. This case is not only argued theoretically but also found to be confirmed by empirical analysis. Ten case studies pitting Latin American countries against Southeast Asian ones reveal the sources of political credibility. Economic openness is the necessary precondition, long-term reputation or democratic participation the sufficient one. Despite the seemingly superior strength of authoritarian reputation democratic control is the more successful road.

The state and its institutions are crucial for economic development: for better and for worse. This insight informs this important, up-to-date and authoritative survey of new trends in growth economics and the widely divergent economic performance of developing countries - for example, between Latin America and South-east Asia - which seemed to be similarly placed just a generation ago. The decisive role of the political dimension in economic growth seems clear but there are many challenges to be met in getting an analytical handle on the precise determinants and in testing empirically for this. This is the challenge taken up by the international team of contributors.

Schulden sind das zentrale Problem in der heutigen Gesellschaft. Nach einem allgemeinen Überblick über Finanz- und Schuldenkrisen geht Silvio Borner auf die Verschuldung der privaten Haushalte und Unternehmen ein. Private Schulden sind in der Regel kein volkswirtschaftliches Problem, weil die Entscheidungsträger auch die Konsequenzen tragen – staatliche Schulden in einer Demokratie hingegen schon. Der Grund liegt zum einen in der kollektiven Entscheidung über das Budget, zum andern in dessen gemeinschaftlichen Charakter. Kollektive sind keine haftenden Einheiten, und gemeinschaftliches Gut wird übernutzt, weil die individuellen Anreize fehlen. Die einzige Sicherheit öffentlicher Schulden ist der zwangsbewehrte Zugriff auf die Steuerzahler. Die Analyse zeigt, weshalb die Schweiz diesbezüglich besser dasteht als das Euroland. Zum Schluss werden institutionelle Mechanismen vorgestellt, die Wege aus der politikbedingten Schuldenfalle aufzeigen.

About 10 years ago, the first very small steps towards this book were taken. The starting point was marked by the deep and sudden slump of the Swiss economy in the mid-seventies: a crisis wiping out about 10 percentage points of GNP and employment within just two years. To this writer, it was clear from the beginning that neither the exogenous shocks nor the struc­ tural changes were in fact exogenous or structural. They were given and sha­ ped by global forces. They were part and parcel of capitalist development. There is no other highly developed country in the world which is so ex­ tremely and integrally exposed to world-wide currents of financial and economic changes as Switzerland. The degree and dimensions of open­ ness ofthe Swiss economy led to the formulation of our research approach for studying the internationalization of the economy, a topic theoretically and politically developed in this book. Empirical evidence relates to our study of Swiss experience. A well-known Swiss-American economist offered the following com­ ment on our previous work on the internationalization of industry: "You are very good in raising interesting questions ..." What was undoubtedly meant as a criticism was received as a compliment. Too much talent and too many research efforts are, in my opinion, wasted by research programs which place technique over substance. This unfortunate development in our profession has already greatly reduced the social utility of economists.

About 10 years ago, the first very small steps towards this book were taken. The starting point was marked by the deep and sudden slump of the Swiss economy in the mid-seventies: a crisis wiping out about 10 percentage points of GNP and employment within just two years. To this writer, it was clear from the beginning that neither the exogenous shocks nor the struc­ tural changes were in fact exogenous or structural. They were given and sha­ ped by global forces. They were part and parcel of capitalist development. There is no other highly developed country in the world which is so ex­ tremely and integrally exposed to world-wide currents of financial and economic changes as Switzerland. The degree and dimensions of open­ ness ofthe Swiss economy led to the formulation of our research approach for studying the internationalization of the economy, a topic theoretically and politically developed in this book. Empirical evidence relates to our study of Swiss experience. A well-known Swiss-American economist offered the following com­ ment on our previous work on the internationalization of industry: "You are very good in raising interesting questions ..." What was undoubtedly meant as a criticism was received as a compliment. Too much talent and too many research efforts are, in my opinion, wasted by research programs which place technique over substance. This unfortunate development in our profession has already greatly reduced the social utility of economists.

Die hier abgedruckten Aufsätze aus fast vier Jahrzehnten spiegeln ein Segment des Aufholprozesses im Bereich der Wirtschaftstheorie nach der Dominanz der Historischen Schule und dem Kriege wider, wobei auch die demografischen Aspekte des Entwicklungsprozesses gebührend berücksichtigt werden. Es kann nachvollzogen werden, wie sich der Autor als Wissenschaftler für die jeweils aktuellen wirtschafts- und gesellschaftspolitischen Probleme eingesetzt hat. Die in den 50er und 60er Jahren geführten Diskussionen über Fragen der Lohnpolitik, Vermögenskonzentration und Einkommensverteilung verband Bombach mit einem persönlichen Engagement für die Förderung der Vermögensbildung, die er zugleich als Waffe gegen die Beschleunigung der Inflation verstand. Überwiegend wurden jene Publikationen ausgewählt, die die strittigen Fragen auf dem theoretisch einfachsten Wege zu beantworten versuchen. Einige Arbeiten zeugen vom Einsatz der "Basler Schule" für bildungspolitische Fragen. Der letzte Komplex ist dem Arbeitsmarkt angesichts der zunehmenden Arbeitslosigkeit nach den Turbulenzen der frühen 70er Jahre und der Rezession zu Beginn der 80er Jahre gewidmet, wobei vor allem auch dem Zusammenhang zwischen Beschäftigung und Lohnstruktur Rechnung getragen wird.