Thirteen Years of Gradualism — Inhibiting Transition in Slovenia?

Abstract

Slovenia is the most developed transition country and it is believed that this is due to the gradualist economic policy which has dominated the transition period. But what does the gradual economic policy mean for further development? Was the choice of gradual economic policy a good decision for the short term only, and not for the long term as well? This article provides some deeper insight into industry–science relations and competition policy in the context of gradualism, and shows that the results of such policy are ambiguous, sheltering some market participants at the expense of others. The consequence might be Slovenia lagging behind other transition countries in the future. In other words, the gradualist concept that was seen as a rational choice for policy makers at the beginning of transition has come to its end.