IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hig/wpaper/14hum2013.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

General equilibrium theory behind the iron curtain: the case of Victor Polterovich

Author

Listed:
  • Ivan Boldyrev

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow/Humboldt University, Berlin.)

  • Olessia Kirtchik

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

Abstract

In this paper we address the story of developments in general equilibrium theory (GET) in the USSR during the 1970s through the lens of a single biography. The Soviet advances in mathematical economics, only fragmentarily known in the West, give an occasion to reflect on the extension of the Walrasian paradigm to non-market societies, as well as on the ideological effects of GET and its interpretations in a Soviet context. Our contribution is focused on the development of general equilibrium theorizing in the work of Victor Meerovich Polterovich (b. 1937) who has been one of the leading figures in mathematical economics and general equilibrium theory in the USSR and post-Soviet Russia. His papers on the abstract models of exchange, dynamic general equilibrium and optimal growth theory, excess demand correspondences, monotonicity of demand functions, and disequilibrium theory were for the large part published in English and gained considerable attention within the field. We reconstruct the political and ideological basis of the general equilibrium concept and show how abstract mathematical models reflected the discursive shift from optimal centralized planning to various forms of decentralization. We argue that the Soviet work on general equilibrium was a part of the global development of mathematical economics but was not integrated into it institutionally

Suggested Citation

  • Ivan Boldyrev & Olessia Kirtchik, 2013. "General equilibrium theory behind the iron curtain: the case of Victor Polterovich," HSE Working papers WP BRP 14/HUM/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:14hum2013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.hse.ru/data/2013/02/21/1306670053/14HUM2013.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dana, Rose-Anne, 1995. "An extension of Milleron, Mitjushin and Polterovich's result," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 259-269.
    2. Polterovich, Victor, 1970. "Об Одной Модели Перераспределения Ресурсов [A Model of Resource Redistribution]," MPRA Paper 22205, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. John K.H. Quah, 2003. "The Law of Demand and Risk Aversion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(2), pages 713-721, March.
    4. Jean-Pascal Benassy, 1975. "Neo-Keynesian Disequilibrium Theory in a Monetary Economy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 42(4), pages 503-523.
    5. Bewley, Truman, 1982. "An integration of equilibrium theory and turnpike theory," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2-3), pages 233-267, September.
    6. Mirowski,Philip, 2002. "Machine Dreams," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521772839, September.
    7. Nash, John, 1950. "The Bargaining Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 18(2), pages 155-162, April.
    8. Mirowski,Philip, 2002. "Machine Dreams," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521775267, September.
    9. Polterovich, Victor, 2007. "Стратегии Институциональных Реформ, Или Искусство Реформ [Institutional Reform Strategies or Art of Reforms]," MPRA Paper 22751, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2007.
    10. Polterovich, V M, 1983. "Equilibrium Trajectories of Economic Growth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(3), pages 693-729, May.
    11. Amir, Rabah & Evstigneev, Igor, 1999. "Stochastic Version Of Polterovich'S Model: Exponential Turnpike Theorems For Equilibrium Paths," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 149-166, June.
    12. Dreze, Jacques H, 1975. "Existence of an Exchange Equilibrium under Price Rigidities," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 16(2), pages 301-320, June.
    13. Freixas, Xavier & Mas-Colell, Andreu, 1987. "Engel Curves Leading to the Weak Axiom in the Aggregate," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(3), pages 515-531, May.
    14. Hands, D. Wade, 1985. "The Structuralist View of Economic Theories: A Review Essay: The Case of General Equilibrium in Particular," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(2), pages 303-335, October.
    15. Polterovich, Victor, 1973. "Экономическое Равновесие И Оптимум [Economic Equilibrium and the Optimum]," MPRA Paper 22359, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Soviet general equilibrium theory
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2013-12-23 20:32:00

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kirtchik, Olessia & Boldyrev, Ivan, 2024. "“Rise And Fall” Of The Walrasian Program In Economics: A Social And Intellectual Dynamics Of The General Equilibrium Theory," Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 1-26, March.
    2. Libman, Alexander & Zweynert, Joachim, 2014. "Ceremonial science: The state of Russian economics seen through the lens of the work of ‘Doctor of Science’ candidates," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 360-378.
    3. Carsten Herrmann-Pillath, 2019. "Power, ideas and culture in the ‘longue durée’ of institutional evolution: theory and application on the revolutions of property rights in Russia," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1483-1506, November.
    4. Zhao, Zhe & Wang, Pei & Chen, Jiancheng & Zhang, Fan, 2021. "Economic spillover effect of grass-based livestock husbandry on agricultural production—A case study in Hulun Buir, China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    5. Alexander A. Maltsev & Vasiliy Sukhih, 2019. "The origins of the Russian economics backwardness: the case of one region [Истоки Отставания Российской Экономической Науки: Случай Одного Региона]," Post-Print hal-04088077, HAL.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, W.-B., 2014. "Ethnic Human Capital Externalities and Inequality in a General Equilibrium Growth Model," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 33-54.
    2. Evstigneev, Igor & Taksar, Michael, 2009. "Dynamic interaction models of economic equilibrium," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 166-182, January.
    3. Amir, R. & Evstigneev, I. V., 2000. "A functional central limit theorem for equilibrium paths of economic dynamics," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 81-99, February.
    4. Claus Dierksmeier, 2011. "The Freedom–Responsibility Nexus in Management Philosophy and Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 101(2), pages 263-283, June.
    5. Ichiishi, Tatsuro, 1985. "Management versus ownership, II," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 115-138, March.
    6. Herings, P. J. J. & Polemarchakis, H., 2002. "Equilibrium and arbitrage in incomplete asset markets with fixed prices," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 133-155, April.
    7. Igor Evstigneev & Guillaume Carlier, 2001. "On Dynkin's model of economic equilibrium under uncertainty," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 3(12), pages 1-8.
    8. Sandra Silva & Aurora Teixeira, 2009. "On the divergence of evolutionary research paths in the past 50 years: a comprehensive bibliometric account," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 605-642, October.
    9. H. Spencer Banzhaf & James Boyd, 2012. "The Architecture and Measurement of an Ecosystem Services Index," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-32, March.
    10. Nikhil Garg & Ashish Goel & Benjamin Plaut, 2021. "Markets for public decision-making," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 56(4), pages 755-801, May.
    11. Borissov, Kirill, 2004. "An intertemporal general equilibrium model with given real wage rates," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 207-233, June.
    12. Herings, P.J.J., 2024. "Expectational Equilibria and Drèze Equilibria in Many-to-one Matching Models," Discussion Paper 2024-022, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    13. Christian Calmès, 2003. "Poignée de main invisible et persistance des cycles économiques : une revue de la littérature," Staff Working Papers 03-40, Bank of Canada.
    14. Gordon, Robert J, 1981. "Output Fluctuations and Gradual Price Adjustment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 19(2), pages 493-530, June.
    15. H. Spencer Banzhaf, 2014. "Retrospectives: The Cold-War Origins of the Value of Statistical Life," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(4), pages 213-226, Fall.
    16. Jérôme Lallement & Amanar Akhabbar, 2011. "Appliquer la théorie économique de l'équilibre général : de Walras à Leontief," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00609684, HAL.
    17. Shyam Sunder, 2006. "Determinants of Economic Interaction: Behavior or Structure," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 1(1), pages 21-32, May.
    18. Benassy, Jean-Pascal, 1987. "The Objective Demand Curve in General Equilibrium with Price Makers," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 98(390), pages 37-49, Supplemen.
    19. Gaffeo, E. & Catalano, M. & Clementi, F. & Delli Gatti, D. & Gallegati, M. & Russo, A., 2007. "Reflections on modern macroeconomics: Can we travel along a safer road?," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 382(1), pages 89-97.
    20. Seppo Honkapohja & Takatoshi Ito, 1979. "A Stochastic Approach to Disequilibrium Macroeconomics," NBER Technical Working Papers 0001, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    general equilibrium theory; mathematical economics; history of recent economics; Soviet economics; decentralization; planning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B16 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Quantitative and Mathematical
    • B21 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Microeconomics
    • B23 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Econometrics; Quantitative and Mathematical Studies
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:14hum2013. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Shamil Abdulaev or Shamil Abdulaev (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/hsecoru.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.