Leszek Balcerowicz: "Bad Transitions"
Fragment wypowiedzi wygłoszonej przez prof. Leszka Balcerowicza podczas wizyty w Budapeszcie, 12 marca 2015 r.:
"However, my main topic is bad transitions. Transition means major changes in the institutional system of a country. Transitions can be good, which means a change from a bad system to a better one; or bad, which means you change a relatively good system for a worse one. Obviously, good transition would be a more attractive topic in times of crisis. But I think what is really relevant, and worth more research, are the bad transitions, in other words, the reversal of reforms. But to discuss this, we have to define what is good and bad in a country’s institutional system. Let me start with concepts of democracy; rule of law, which is separate from democracy; and capitalistic economy. There are many definitions of democracy. I take a very simple one: the level of democracy depends on the extent of open competition in the political system, as expressed through free and regular actions."