In recent years, the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany have disagreed sharply over the politics and economics of East-West relations. This book examines the political and economic premises behind American and West German approaches toward East-West commerce and analyzes the degree to which views differ. The contributors, a mix of Ge

Soviet scholars have apparently stayed clear of meaningful analysis of such touchy subjects as interdependence and conflict in the relationship between economics and politics. Very little has been published on this issue—no surprise in a system that controls centrally both politics and the economy, with an emphasis on rapid economic development. The absence of meaningful Soviet research led the Federal Institute for East European and International Studies in Cologne to sponsor an international interdisciplinary conference on the subject. Contributions to the resulting book cover three main areas. The first includes the impact of traditional Russian political culture on contemporary Soviet economic thinking and behavior, the rank of economic aims in the priority system of Soviet politics, and the function of economic institutions in the implementation of political aims. The second concerns the role of political lobbies in the economy and repercussions of economic change for Soviet politics. Foreign economic relations and the USSR's foreign policy make up the third area. The concluding discussion reviews the state of international research and identifies areas for future study.

This volume explores relations between socialist planned economies of Central and East European countries and capitalist market economies of neutral states in Europe dyring the Cold War. It focuses on the significant role of neutral countries as path-breakers in building East-West contacts.

"The Post-containment Handbook" is a source-book for anyone concerned about US-Soviet economic relations and the upcoming debate over their normalization. It is filled with original essays and key documents charting the history of trade agreements, diplomatic relations, and human rights issues as they bear on the commerce between the superpowers. Debate on the issues will heat up with the September 1990 expiration of the Export Administration Act - the major instrument by which the United States has regulated exports to the Soviet Union. The terms of the debate are clear - the Soviet Union wants to enter the world economy; President Bush has said that the United States must move beyond containment - and that he wants perestroika to succeed. Top priority is a normal US-Soviet economic and commercial relationship. The handbook contains the text of such documents as the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, the Stevenson and Byrd Amendments, previous trade agreements governing credit, COCOM procedures, and extensive excerpts from the Export Administration Act. Letters, laws, and original essays round out the documentary portrait of this most important economic policy arena.