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Why did Transition Economies Choose Mass Privatization?

Author

Listed:
  • John Bennett

    (Brunel University,)

  • Saul Estrin

    (London Business School,)

  • James Maw

    (University of Wales Swansea,)

Abstract

In many transition countries privatization has taken the form of distribution of states assets at a zero price (mass privatization), and the state has retained some ownership in many companies.We provide a rationale for these policies in terms of a political feasibility constraint, preventing sale at a negative price. The government may choose to retain some ownership in order to make the constraint bite, in effect raising its bargaining power. As a result, mass privatization may actually have been revenue-maximizing; that is, may have been rational in an economic sense, as well as in the political sense previously claimed. (JEL: L33, P21) Copyright (c) 2005 The European Economic Association.

Suggested Citation

  • John Bennett & Saul Estrin & James Maw, 2005. "Why did Transition Economies Choose Mass Privatization?," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(2-3), pages 567-575, 04/05.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:jeurec:v:3:y:2005:i:2-3:p:567-575
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tian, Lihui & Estrin, Saul, 2008. "Retained state shareholding in Chinese PLCs: Does government ownership always reduce corporate value?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 74-89, March.
    2. Bhaumik, Sumon Kumar & Estrin, Saul, 2007. "How transition paths differ: Enterprise performance in Russia and China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 374-392, March.
    3. Bennett, John & Estrin, Saul & Maw, James, 2007. "The choice of privatization method in a transition economy when insiders control a firm," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 806-819, September.
    4. Ran Zhang & Zabihollah Rezaee & Jigao Zhu, 2010. "Corporate Philanthropic Disaster Response and Ownership Type: Evidence from Chinese Firms’ Response to the Sichuan Earthquake," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 91(1), pages 51-63, January.
    5. Liu, Xiaojie & Shen, Jim Huangnan & Deng, Kent, 2022. "Endowment Structure, property rights and reforms of large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China: Past, present and future," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 675-692.
    6. Jan Hanousek & Evžen Kočenda, 2011. "Rozsah integrovaného státního vlastnictví a vliv firemní kontroly na výkonnost českých podniků [Extent of the Integrated State Ownership and Effect of the State Control on Performance of Czech Firm," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2011(1), pages 82-104.
    7. Wenjing Li & Ran Zhang, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Ownership Structure, and Political Interference: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 96(4), pages 631-645, November.
    8. Iwasaki, Ichiro & Kočenda, Evžen, 2017. "Are some owners better than others in Czech privatized firms? Even meta-analysis can’t make us perfectly sure," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 537-568.
    9. Arup Bose & Barnali Gupta, 2013. "Mixed markets in bilateral monopoly," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 141-164, October.
    10. Choon-Yin Sam, 2013. "Partial privatisation and the role of state owned holding companies in China," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 17(3), pages 767-789, August.
    11. Evžen Kočenda & Jan Hanousek, 2012. "State ownership and control in the Czech Republic," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 157-191, August.
    12. Jan Hanousek & Evžen Kočenda, 2008. "Potential of the state to control privatized firms," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 167-186, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • P21 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Planning, Coordination, and Reform

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