Achieving Rapid Growth in the Transition Economies of Central Europe

The preeminent economic challenge for Central European economies in transition is to grow rapidly for a sustained period of time. On current policies, the Central European economies can expect to grow at moderate rates, faster than Western Europe, but far short of the rapid growth rates achieved in the very fast growing economies (VFGEs) in Asia and elsewhere. This paper discusses the sources of rapid growth in the VFGEs, and the ways in which Central Europe could emulate key aspects of the economic policies of the VFGEs in order to raise the growth rates of the Central European economies.