The Plans That Failed: An Economic History of the GDR(13 Studies in German History)

The establishment of the Communist social model in one part of Germany was a result of international postwar developments, of the Cold War waged by East and West, and of the resultant partition of Germany. As the author argues, the GDR’s ‘new’ society was deliberately conceived as a counter-model to the liberal and marketregulated system. Although the hopes connected with this alternative system turned out to be misplaced and the planned economy may be thoroughly discredited today, it is important to understand the context in which it developed and failed. This study, a bestseller in its German version, offers an in-depth exploration of the GDR economy’s starting conditions and the obstacles to growth it confronted during the consolidation phase. These factors, however, were not decisive in the GDR’s lack of growth compared to that of the Federal Republic. As this study convincingly shows, it was the economic model that led to failure.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1. A Difficult Start? Initial Conditions in the Soviet Occupation Zone Economic Potential and Structure at the End of the War Plant Dismantling and Reparations Political Forces in the Soviet Occupation Zone and their Ideas on Economic Policy Land Reform and Nationalisation of Industry Restarting Production Chapter 2. The Establishment of the Planned Economy 1948–1952 German Economic Commission and Currency Reform Problems of Economic Control Reorientation of Foreign Trade and Industrial Development Agriculture and Supplies for the Population The Resolution to ‘Build Socialism’ The Events of 17 June 1953 Chapter 3. Between Shortages and Growth 1953–1963 Industrial and Structural Policy The Private Sector and Agriculture Problems of the Steering Mechanism Growth, Structural Transformation and Standard of Living The ‘Main Economic Task’: ‘Catch Up and Overtake’ Collectivisation and the Road into Crisis 1960/61 Chapter 4. The ‘Golden’ Sixties? Economic Reform between Take-off and Crisis 1961–1971 Störfreimachung and Produktionsaufgebot 1961/62 A ‘New Economic System’? Implementation of the Reform ‘Overtake without Catching Up’ Economic Results and Living Standards in the Reform Period The Growth Crisis of 1969/70 and its Political Consequences Chapter 5. ‘Unity of Economic and Social Policy’ 1971–1982 Honecker's ‘Main Task’ Fewer Investments and Innovations? Concentration in Industry and Agriculture And More Consumption? Debt Crisis Chapter 6. Continued Economic Decline 1982–1989 Getting out of Debt? Dispensing with Reforms in the Steering of the Economy Growing Loss of Assets More Money, Fewer Goods Final Crisis Brief Biographies Index

About the Author :
André Steiner is Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Contemporary History Potsdam (ZZF) and Professor of economic and social history at the University of Potsdam. He has been the Research Director of the Department of Economic and Social History at the ZZF, a Research Fellow at Institutes for Economic History in Berlin and Mannheim and was Professor at the Ruhr-University Bochum.

Review :
“…the economic history of the GDR is an important topic, not just in modern German history, but in the history of the world Communist movement. The publication of André Steiner’s book is therefore warmly to be welcomed, for it provides a competent and useful overview of the evolution of the East German economy from the Soviet occupation of 1945–9 through to the collapse of the Communist regime in 1989.”  ·  English Historical Review “So far there has been a dearth of studies on the economic history of the GDR, unlike the recent surge of general historical accounts. Based on an exceptional knowledge of the literature and well supported by a number of key, so far unpublished, documents, this book fills the gap. André Steiner fully succeeds in his attempt, managing to produce from highly complex material a very accessible text for a wide readership without sacrificing analytical quality.”  ·  H-Soz-u-Kult ”…provide[s] an excellent introduction for students and researchers who are just starting their work in the area of East Germany’s history, or for the researchers of state-owned enterprises and planned economies, who are interested in an overview of the historical precedent. Furthermore, Steiner’s bibliography presents an impressive scholarly reference to a large subset of primary and secondary sources that are available on the topic.”  ·  EH-Net “This 13th volume in the "Studies in German History" series (published in association with the German Historical Institute, Washington, DC)  is the most comprehensive account of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) economy available in English…Detailed endnotes, extensive bibliography, brief biographical sketches, and very good index…Highly recommended.”  ·  Choice