• Home
  • About RSIS
    • Introduction
    • Building the Foundations
    • Welcome Message
    • Board of Governors
    • Staff Profiles
      • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
      • Dean’s Office
      • Management
      • Distinguished Fellows
      • Faculty and Research
      • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
      • Visiting Fellows
      • Adjunct Fellows
      • Administrative Staff
    • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
    • RSIS Endowment Fund
    • Endowed Professorships
    • Career Opportunities
    • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
    • Research Centres
      • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
      • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
      • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
      • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
      • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
    • Research Programmes
      • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
      • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
    • [email protected] Newsletter
    • Other Research
      • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
      • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
    • Graduate Programmes Office
    • Overview
    • MSc (Asian Studies)
    • MSc (International Political Economy)
    • MSc (International Relations)
    • MSc (Strategic Studies)
    • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
    • PhD Programme
    • Exchange Partners and Programmes
    • How to Apply
    • Financial Assistance
    • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
    • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
    • Alumni
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
    • SRP Executive Programme
    • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
    • RSIS Publications
      • Annual Reviews
      • Books
      • Bulletins and Newsletters
      • Commentaries
      • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
      • Commemorative / Event Reports
      • IDSS Paper
      • Interreligious Relations
      • Monographs
      • NTS Insight
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • RSIS Publications for the Year
    • Glossary of Abbreviations
    • External Publications
      • Authored Books
      • Journal Articles
      • Edited Books
      • Chapters in Edited Books
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • Op-Eds
      • External Publications for the Year
    • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
    • Great Powers
    • Sustainable Security
    • Other Resource Pages
    • Media Highlights
    • News Releases
    • Speeches
    • Vidcast Channel
    • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsis.sg
Linkedin
instagram instagram rsis.sg
RSS
  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
      • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      • Alumni
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      • SRP Executive Programme
      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      • RSIS Publications
        • Annual Reviews
        • Books
        • Bulletins and Newsletters
        • Commentaries
        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
        • Commemorative / Event Reports
        • IDSS Paper
        • Interreligious Relations
        • Monographs
        • NTS Insight
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
      • External Publications
        • Authored Books
        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • Op-Eds
        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      • Great Powers
      • Sustainable Security
      • Other Resource Pages
      • Media Highlights
      • News Releases
      • Speeches
      • Vidcast Channel
      • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
  • instagram instagram rsis.sg
Connect

Getting to RSIS

Map

Address

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

View location on Google maps Click here for directions to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
    RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
    instagram instagram rsis.sg
      RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    RSIS Intranet

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
    Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University

    Skip to content

     
    • RSIS
    • RSIS Seminar by Dr Andrzej Bolesta, First Counsellor, Economic Affairs, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bangkok

    RSIS Seminar by Dr Andrzej Bolesta, First Counsellor, Economic Affairs, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bangkok

    The Shades of Post-Socialist Transformation: Poland and China Compared

    03 May 2016 15:30 - 17:00
    The KeyPoint, RSIS
    Office / Business Attire
    Type: Lectures / Seminars
    Public
    For Enquiries: [email protected]
    Google Calendar

    Lecture Abstract:

    As it embraces around 25% of the human population, post-socialist transformation is by all means a process of historical significance. It is hardly possible to imagine complex and extensive systemic changes that equal those which have been taking place in parts of Europe and Asia. In simplistic terms, the process is twofold in nature: from the political perspective, authoritarian regimes are replaced by democracies, and from the economic perspective, the systems are transformed from centrally-planned economies based on state ownership domination and bureaucratic control mechanisms into free market economies based on private ownership and a deregulated market. Naturally, there are regional variations, and, indeed, each country in transition would have its own personal set of characteristics.

    Poland and China represent two very different models of post-socialist transformation, both of which brought spectacular developmental advancements. In the last 27 years, Poland has become a developed, modern and competitive market-based economy. In the meantime China has made spectacular achievements in poverty eradication and elevated itself to the position of the world’s economic superpower.

    Between 1989 and 1991 Poland quickly opened up its national economy in a swift sequence of changes of laws, regulations and systemic arrangements, broadly known as the shock therapy. Then, the policy makers refocused their attention onto institution building, but nevertheless did not impede the pace of reforms. Starting from 1997 the policies concentrated on adopting regulations and norms of the European Union, as Poland had the ambition to join the EU as quickly as possible. This eventually happened in May 2004. The regional integration brought Poland additional benefits, which contributed to the steady increase in the standard of living. The Poland of today hardly resembles the Poland of 27 years ago when the transformation began.

    China’s leadership chose incremental and gradual changes. For the first decade of gaige kaifang (reform and opening up) under Deng Xiaoping, it actually hoped to keep some residues of socialism in place. In the 1990s China turned away from socialism and its political elite concentrated on creating a market economy. As a result of market reforms, in 2001 China was ready to join the WTO. The main focus of China’s systemic transformation has always been development. The results have been impressive. From an impoverished country on the economic world’s periphery, China has become an economic powerhouse and a major player on the international scene.

    The seminar’s intention is to compare the two very different modes of systemic transformation.

    About the Speaker:

    123

    Andrzej Bolesta has a PhD in Government from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and an MSc from the University of Oxford. He also studied at Warsaw School of Economics, was a visiting scholar at the China Center for Economic Research, Peking University and conducted his research at Yale Center for International and Area Studies, Yale University.

    He is an author of the concept of Post-Socialist Developmental State. He wrote China and Post-Socialist Development  –  the first comprehensive analysis  of how  the  East  Asian development model has influenced China’s transformation from central planning to market. The book has been published by the Policy Press, UK. It has been translated into Chinese  language  and  will  be published in Beijing in 2016.

    Currently, he is a senior diplomat (First Counsellor) responsible for economic affairs in the Polish embassy in Bangkok (responsible for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia). In his capacity, he has engaged in activities concerned with Myanmar’s economic transformation. He has conducted lectures and seminars on economic reforms for Myanmar policy makers, government officials, members of the parliament, political parties, economic associations, universities and non-governmental organisations.

    Prior to his current position, he was the Head of the Economic Department and then Economic Counsellor of the Polish embassy in Beijing (responsible for China and Mongolia). In Poland, he worked as a university lecturer, specialising in development and transformation of East Asian economies. He also advised the Head of the Parliament and was the Research Assistant to the former Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. He wrote and edited eight books and around 20 articles on economic development, Asian economies and systemic transformation, which were published in English, Polish and Chinese. He was an evaluator of Poland’s National Development Plan 2007-2013. He has been a guest lecturer at universities and government institutions in Poland, China, Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. His main interest lies in the economies of East Asia – the region in which he has spent the last nine years.

    Back to top

    Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
    OK
    Latest Book
    RSIS Seminar by Dr Andrzej Bolesta, First Counsellor, Economic Affairs, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bangkok

    Lecture Abstract:

    As it embraces around 25% of the human population, post-socialist tr ...

    more info