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In most states with market oriented economic systems privatisation plays an important role in the political discussion, mainly due to the fundamental problem of all economic systems, which is scarcity of available resources. The responsible politicians try to improve the allocation of scarce resources and to increase the financial possibilities for needed development investments by creating an adequate macroeconomic framework and a business-friendly environment. Within the scope of these efforts the production of goods and commercial services by state-owned enterprises only plays a very limited role. The state would be best advised to leave these functions to the, in this regard, more efficient private sector. The public sector should concentrate its respective efforts only on the production of so-called Public Goods and, for political reasons, eventually on some sub-sectors, which are essential for the security of the country. Nearly all market economies and especially states which are in the transitional process from more centrally administered to market oriented economic systems, have room for manoeuvre towards privatisation of state-owned enterprises. Privatisation facilitate the improvement of factor allocation and the reduction of budget constraints, not only by the way of sales revenues but also by creating a broader tax-base, decreasing the need to provide subsidies and, last but not least, mobilising private resources for the aimed development-process. This is also true for the Republic of India as well as for the Federal Republic of Germany. [.] This Report gives an overview of selected principles, elements and experiences of privatisation in Germany, with special reference to the new Federal States in East Germany and under consideration of selected aspects in neighbouring countries. The intention is not to present a complete abstract, but to provide a discussion basis for identifying starting points for a future dialogue about lessons learnt.

Government intervention in developing countries has often been biased towards the support of urban industries and the urban population. The resulting distortions in exchange rates and in the prices of the factors of production have had serious detrimental effects on rural areas. A gradual deregulation of prices is necessary if the problems of the rural areas are to be overcome.

Indonesia has dropped out of the news lately. The country which during the Sukarno era constantly made the headlines of the world press because of the spectacular foreign political actions of its headstrong president is now bending its energies on economic consolidation.

Transmigration is one of the most controversial elements of Indonesian development strategy. Because of the lack of knowledge about the motivations, expectations and experiences of migrants, two surveys have been conducted. They were carried out, before transmigration, in transit camps on Java, Madura, Bali and Lombok, and after transmigration, in eight new settlements in Riau and East Kalimantan. Both samples and results are representative of the government-sponsored type of "large scale" transmigration. The results clearly show the dominance of poverty motives as a major reason for migration, apparently pushing social and cultural factors, which as a whole impede mobility, into the background. Consequently, expectations of migrants are very modest, mainly oriented to safeguarding their basic needs and subsistence. Although the situation in the new settlements often does not correspondto official promises, difficulties are overcome by the pioneering attitude of transmigrants.Observations show that subsistence can normally be secured during the first two years, and that in the following years a clear process of development is possible. prerequisite for the success of the programme is, however, more satisfactory solutions to problems of planning and implementation. The authors identify major bottlenecks and submit some proposals for better solutions.

"Reformbestrebungen in Osteuropa und Schuldenkrise der Dritten Welt haben jedermann das Scheitern sozialistischer Zentralverwaltungswirtschaften wie auch der vielfältigen dirigistisch-interventionistischen Mischformen der Wirtschaftsordnung sichtbar gemacht. Bei der Suche nach neuen Leitbildern ist ein zunehmendes Interesse an der Sozialen Marktwirtschaft feststellbar. Diese Wirtschaftsordnung hat sich mit ihren dezentralen, individuellen, durch Preismechanismen und Wettbewerb koordinierten Planentscheidungen als äußerst effiziente Lösung des Knappheitsproblems erwiesen. Schon aus dieser Dynamik und Leistungsfähigkeit, bei einem Höchstmaß an individueller Gestaltungsfreiheit, gewinnt sie ihre soziale Dimension. Sozial ist diese Wirtschaftsordnung aber auch, weil sie dem Staat zur Aufgabe macht, Schwächen und Marktversagen zu korrigieren und für einen zusätzlichen sozialen Ausgleich zu sorgen. Grundsätzlich sind auch in den Ländern der Dritten Welt die Voraussetzungen für die Einführung dieser Wirtschaftsordnung gegeben. Die Bürger dieser Staaten sind mit Marktprozessen durchaus vertraut, und die meisten der häufig aufgeführten Hemmnisse wie Mangel an dynamischen Unternehmern, nicht ordnungsgerechte Preis- und Einkommensreaktionen der Marktteilnehmer und mangelnde administrative Kapazität erweisen sich bei eingehender Analyse als nicht stichhaltig. Als Kernproblem für einen Ordnungswechsel hat sich die politische Akzeptanz erwiesen, weil er in der Regel für einen Teil der Bevölkerung mit dem Verlust an Privilegien verbunden ist und sich die Vorteile der neuen Ordnung erst nach und nach in der Zukunft zeigen. Eine wachstumsorientierte Gestaltung der sozialen Komponente ist für das Gelingen des Wechsels somit von großer Bedeutung." (Autorenreferat)

Long before the socialist industrialized nations began to call their centrally planned, or government controlled, economies into question, policymakers in many developing countries with dirigistic, interventionist systems, including capitalist oriented ones, had started to rethink their economic philosophies. Now that the former exporters of the concept of the centrally planned economy are themselves interested in importing free-enterprise ideas, reform in the Third World is likely to take on more momentum and interest in the social market economy will increase.

Die Autoren analysieren die Motive, Erwartungen der Transmigranten in Indonesien, die gleichzeitig Ansatzpunkte für eine effiziente Transmigrationspolitik darstellen. Die Informationen über die Erfahrungen basieren auf 201 im Jahre 1984 in acht Transmigrationssiedlungen in Riau (Sumatra) und Ost-Kalimantan durchgeführten Befragungen. (DÜI-Sen)