Politická ekonomie, 2007 (vol. 55), issue 4

Strukturální charakteristika nabídkové strany české ekonomiky

Supply side of the czech economy - structural characteristics

Marek Rojíček

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):435-457 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.607  

This article explores development of the industrial structure of the Czech economy in the last ten years from the point of view of the gross value added and employment. It goes from the macroeconomic view at the level of the basic sectors to more detailed view focused on the individual branches. Increased attention is paid to manufacturing, which is analysed in more detailed structure. The accent is put on the labour productivity development and its main factors. The comparison is carried out in the time series, as well as within the EU member states. Besides the analysis on the level of individual sectors and industries the attention is paid to the...

Systém pojištění vkladů v České republice: historie, současný stav a porovnání s Evropskou unií

The deposit guarantee-scheme in the Czech republic: history, status quo and comparison with the european system

Jiří Hlaváček

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):458-472 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.608  

Czech laws on Deposit Guarantee-Schemes are characterized. It is described history of rise of the Czech Deposit Insurance Fund and dynamics of its basic characteristics. Czech deposit guarantee system is compared with the European system and with the European Directive on Deposit Guarantee-Schemes. It is calculated the effective rate of "taxation" by the compulsory payment to Czech Deposit Insurance Fund, which is (because of the very low interest rates in the Czech Republic) extremely high (about 30-40 %). Recommendations: 1) discard the audited firms from the Deposit Guarantee-Scheme and 2) decrease the amounts compulsorily paid by banks for deposits...

Odhad potenciálneho produktu a produkčnej medzery v slovenských podmienkach

Estimation of potential product and output gap in slovak conditions

Emília Zimková, Jaroslav Barochovský

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):473-489 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.609  

The efficiency of macroeconomic policies depends on adequate business cycle approximation. Given that potential output and the output gap (the difference between actual and potential output) are not directly observable, their values need to be estimated using alternative statistical, structural, and combined techniques. In this paper the Hodrick-Prescott filter and the Cobb-Douglass production function has been applied on the Slovak conditions. The pross and coins of both methods are analysed. The Hodrick-Prescott filter does not capture the structural changes, which were significant especially in the first half of analysed period. Thus the Cobb-Douglass...

Analýza konkurencieschopnosti slovenského spracovateľského priemyslu

The competitive abilities analysis of processing industry of the Slovak republic

Viktória Bobáková, Jaroslava Hečková

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):490-507 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.610  

The competitive ability of the processing industry in the SR occurs most often in classical types of production characterised by lower level of added value. Commodities with a low added value participate in worsening the balance of trade of the SR. The high export demand of industrial production also contributes to it. The changes in branch structure of processing industry of the SR are continuously reflected in a change of foreign trade structure. Its orientation is on the products less demanding and primarily on raw materials and energetic sources. In spite of this there is visible the tendency to be focused on exports in lower added value products...

Problémy mezi národního obchodu sever - jih jako hlavní příčina potíží světové obchodní organizace

Problems of north-south international trade as the main reason of world trade organization difficulties

Jiří Fárek, Jaroslav Foltýn

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):508-525 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.611  

This article tries to summarize achievements of ten years anniversary of WTO (1995-2005) and the negotiations taking place at its summits from Seattle (1999) to Hongkong (2005). These achievements could be characterized at best as mediocre ones. WTO has been muddling through numerous disputes, the most important of which have been and still are agricultural subsidies of developed countries. Due to double standards and sometimes lack of transparency at least three summits (Seattle, Cancún and Doha) almost failed and the Katar Round ended deadlocked for 2004. The last Hongkong summit (December 2005) saved WTO functionality mainly through some concessions...

Neoklasická ekonomie a ochrana životního prostředí

Neoclassical economy in environmental protection

Jan Slavík

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):526-538 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.612  

Currently, if speaking about the theoretical background of the environmental policy, most of environmental economists have neoclassical economics in their minds. State regulation of private activities by means of restrictions, commands, taxes and fees is usually seen as the only one way to reach the high quality of the environment. It is believed, that due to market failures market forces are not able to solve the environmental problems. Actually, these are the main arguments for state interventions into the private negotiations about environmental issues. But are these assumptions correct from the methodological point of view? Is the state regulation...

Za obzor neoklasické ekonomie: cesta k principům nové institucionální ekonomie

Beyond the horizon of neoclassical economics: navigation to principles of the new institutional economics

František Svoboda

Politická ekonomie 2007, 55(4):539-557 | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.613  

This paper starts with discussion about enhanced and frequently used conceptions of free markets, market failures and market primacy. There are pointed some simplifications due to the man should be prospective while using them, especially in applied economics. We have no positive definition of a free market and it is not clear, how often and if any we can observe such market about us. Troubles with market failures are derived from different meanings in different schools of economic thought. The market primacy is an abstract concept more than historical fact. Because of such difficulties the paper is inscribed to institutional alternative which is able...