The Fading Miracle provides a lucid account of economic policy in West Germany from the late 1940s up to the present. First published in hardback in 1992, this paperback edition has been updated to include events since then. The authors describe and evaluate the major policy controversies and decisions, and place particular emphasis on the characteristically German institutions of policy counselling and their role in policy formation. The book will be of interest to students and teachers of economics, and to all those with an interest in the development of the greatest economic power in Europe.
German economic performance has astonished the world. At the turn of the century, Germany had been written off as the sick man of Europe. No more. Even as most of its European neighbors and OECD trading partners have struggled in the face of a turbulent global economy, the German economy has thrived. How does Germany do it? What is the secret? In The Seven Secrets of Germany, authors David Audretsch and Erik Lehmann answer these very questions. This book reveals, explains, and analyzes seven key aspects of Germany, its economy, and its society that have provided the nation with considerable buoyance in an era of global turbulence. These seven features range from the key and strategic role played by small firms to world leadership in its skilled and trained labor force, an ability to harness global opportunities through leveraging local resources, public infrastructure, the capacity to deal with change and confront challenges in a flexible manner, and the emergence of a remarkably positive identity and image. The Seven Secrets of Germany have insulated the country from long-term economic deterioration and enabled it to take advantage of the opportunities afforded from globalization rather than succumbing as a victim to globalization. This insights can be instructive to other countries and refute the defeatist view that globalization leads to an inevitable deterioration of the standard of living, quality of life, and degree of economic prosperity.
Korea, one of the original 'Tiger Economies', experiences a traumatic and largely unanticipated economic crisis in 1997-98 from which the country is still recovering. Despite having achieved spectacular economic advances from the early 1960s, the crisis laid bare numerous structural, economic and policy weaknesses. Charles Harvie and Hyun-Hoon Lee chronicle and analyze the key factors behind Korea's economic miracle from 1962-1989 and the causes that contributed to the economic downturn and ensuing crisis of 1997-98. Is the Korean economy still fading or is its revival underway? As the country undertakes a series of recovery measures, the authors consider the importance of the ongoing restructuring efforts in the corporate and banking sectors, the development of the 'new economy; and the potential economic advantages to be derived from reunification with the North.
In 1945, Germany and Japan lay prostrate after total war and resounding defeat. By 1960, they had the second and fifth largest economies in the world respectively. This global leadership has been maintained ever since. How did these 'economic miracles' come to pass, and why were these two nations particularly adept at achieving them? Ray Stokes is the first to unpack these questions from comparative and international perspectives, emphasising both the individuals and companies behind this exceptional performance and the broader global political and economic contexts. He highlights the potent mixtures in both countries of judicious state action, effective industrial organisation, benign labour relations, and technological innovation, which they adapted constantly - sometimes painfully - to take full advantage of rapidly growing post-war international trade and globalisation. Together, they explain the spectacular resurgence of Deutschland AG and Japan Incorporated to global economic and technological leadership, which they have sustained to the present.
Integration is the most significant European historical development in the past fifty years, eclipsing in importance even the collapse of the USSR. Yet, until now, no satisfactory explanation is to be found in any single book as to why integration is significant, how it originated, how it has changed Europe, and where it is headed. Professor Gillingham s work corrects the inadequacies of the existing literature by cutting through the genuine confusion that surrounds the activities of the European Union, and by looking at his subject from a truly historical perspective. The late-twentieth century has been an era of great, though insufficiently appreciated, accomplishment that intellectually and morally is still emerging from the shadow of an earlier one of depression, and modern despotism. This is a work, then, that captures the historical distinctiveness of Europe in a way that transcends current party political debate.
In Sovereign Soldiers, historian Grant Madsen tells the story of military leaders who took on an unfamiliar and often untold policymaking role during the occupation of Germany and Japan after World War II, applying a range of economic ideas whose impact would endure throughout the prosperous 1950s, including in the United States itself.
In an age where the existence of the supernatural is often questioned, "MIRACLES: What Does the Bible Really Teach?" emerges as a comprehensive guide exploring the enigmatic world of biblical miracles. This meticulously researched work invites readers on a journey through scriptural accounts, presenting a rigorous examination of the nature, purpose, and reality of miracles as depicted in the Holy Scriptures. Through its in-depth analysis, the book confronts the skepticism of the modern era, dismantling naturalistic explanations and affirming the credibility of the miraculous. It delves into the laws of nature, scrutinizing their relationship with reported supernatural events, and provides a potent argument for the harmony between scientific understanding and biblical miracles. "Understanding the Miracles of the Bible," the opening chapter, sets the stage by addressing the compatibility of miracles with natural law and God's moral framework. "The Miracles—Did They Really Happen?" progresses the discourse by examining the authenticity of these events, with a special focus on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The contrast between naturalism and supernaturalism is critically explored, assessing worldviews and their implications on the interpretation of miracles. The narrative further challenges naturalistic ideologies, suggesting that such perspectives struggle to adequately explain the miraculous phenomena described within the pages of the Bible. "Nature and Supernature" acknowledges the defined domains while showcasing instances where nature yields to divine intervention. The subsequent chapters present a compelling argument for the possibility of miracles, countering common objections and misconceptions with scholarly insight and theological acuity. In a bold and intriguing exposition, "Unveiling Biblical Clues: The Secret Behind the Egyptian Pyramids’ Creation" ventures beyond traditional discussions, examining historical enigmas through a biblical lens. "The Bible and Science" bridges faith and rational inquiry, engaging with topics like the Flood, human longevity, and the perceived scientific errors in the Bible. The penultimate chapter, "Is Genesis’ Creation of the World a Myth and Legend?" investigates the origins of the universe as presented in Genesis, juxtaposing biblical accounts with ancient creation stories. Finally, "The Continuation of the Spiritual Gifts?" addresses the cessation of miracles, contending that while miracles served a definitive purpose during biblical times, their primary function as signs of divine endorsement concluded with the close of the apostolic age. With rigorous scholarship and thought-provoking analysis, "MIRACLES: What Does the Bible Really Teach?" stands as an essential resource for those seeking to understand the intersection of faith, history, and the supernatural. It is an invitation to explore the biblical testimony on miracles and discover their enduring message for the contemporary world.
Wirtschaftsgeschichtliche Forschung kann nur interdisziplin�r betrieben werden und ihre Aufgabe der Vertiefung unseres Verst�ndnisses von sozio-�konomischen Prozessen und deren Interaktion mit politischen Entwicklungen erfuellen, wenn �konomische Theorie vernuenftig angewendet wird. Zwei amerikanische Wissenschaftler, Douglas North und Robert Fogel, wurden 1993 mit dem Nobelpreis fuer Wirtschaftswissenschaften fuer ihre Pionierarbeit in Kliometrie, der Verbindung von �konomie und Geschichte, ausgezeichnet. In Nordamerika ist der Paradigmenwechsel vollst�ndig vollzogen: Kliometrie ist bereits eine �normale Wissenschaft�. Der vorliegende Band, vornehmlich von amerikanischen Gelehrten mit wirtschaftswissenschaftlichem Sachverstand geschrieben, liefert der deutschen akademischen Gemeinschaft wenig bekannte, jedoch bahnbrechende Artikel. .
This compelling volume re-examines the topic of economic growth in Europe after the Second World War. The contributors approach the subject armed not only with new theoretical ideas, but also with the experience of the 1980s on which to draw. The analysis is based on both applied economics and on economic history. Thus, while the volume is greatly informed by insights from growth theory, emphasis is given to the presentation of chronological and institutional detail. The case study approach and the adoption of a longer-run perspective than is normal for economists allow new insights to be obtained. As well as including chapters that consider the experience of individual European countries, the book explores general European institutional arrangements and historical circumstances. The result is a genuinely comparative picture of post-war growth, with insights that do not emerge from standard cross-section regressions based on the post-1960 period.
The advent of consumer societies in the United Kingdom and West Germany after 1945 led to the mass 'production' of garbage. This book compares the social, cultural and economic fallout of the growing volume and changing composition of waste in the two countries from 1945 to the present through sustained attention to changes in the business of handling household waste. Though the UK and Germany are similar in population density, degrees of urbanisation, and standardisation, the two countries took profoundly different paths from low-waste to throwaway societies, and more recently, towards the goal of 'zero-waste'. The authors explore evolving balances between public and private provision in waste services; the transformation of public cleansing into waste management; the role of government legislation and regulation; emerging conceptualisations of recycling and resource recovery; and the gradual shift of the industry's regulatory and business context from local to national and then to international.
