Po desiatich rokoch transformácie
TEN TRANSFORMATION YEARS

Summary/Abstract: The paper responds to the attempts of various foreign authors (quoted in the paper) to explain the causes of the long lasting state of crisis in transforming countries (TCs) by reform policy errors. It proves that reforms that aimed predominantly at the change of the system of economics (privatisation and development of the capitalist market with its inevitable institutions), could not avoid the effects that appeared after these countries entered free markets. This entry inevitably provoked severe violation of internal balance in these economies. One could not fully overcome these unbalances as yet in any of these transforming countries, some of them, however, still have the chance to succeed in this. The prolonged crisis of the economy and society in all TCs is above all the expres-sion of generated unbalance. In the paper the author at first tries to explain historic background of unbalance, describes its state and manifestation, and identifies the barriers that so far prevent to overcome this unbalance. All TCs had for several decades specific market links among themselves and special links toward the other countries. In the first case an agreed (planned) co-operation pre-vailed. At this co-operation the exchange (sales) of goods was not limited by competiti-on (principles of exchange in the so-called Comecon countries). That enabled to build up a certain production potential mutually influenced within Comecon. According to the potential and product growth, one generated in each of these countries resources for reproduction and further growth, final consumption increased (real level of revenues) and consumption covered through public funds (hospitals, schools cultural and govern-ment organisations, residential building fund etc.) increased too. The exchange with other countries (outside Comecon) was implemented in compliance with the usual mar-ket principles, e. g. under the condition of competition, and for market prices following the supply and demand rules. Comecon countries could purchase in these free markets only up to their proceeds from their own export sales (using convertible currency they earned by their exports). Different conditions of purchase (imports) forced Comecon countries to adjust sales conditions in domestic market, especially as the domestic de-mand for goods from free markets highly exceeded import possibilities (convertible currency reserves). One applied there sales for high prices, sales to predetermined sub-jects (to enterprises, organisations), free currency rationing etc. That created unbalance in exchange relations between all TCs and free markets. As long as government control of foreign exchange endured, this unbalance could not manifest itself. It existed as a latent one only. The unbalance manifested itself immediately after the abolition of the government regulation.

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