한국의 비교경제연구 20년: 회고와 전망

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to look back on the previous twenty years of comparative economic studies carried out by the KACE, assess its academic activities, and foresee its prospect in consideration of new challenging circumstances. Like other academic organizations of foreign countries in this field, the KACE is faced with the crisis of scientific identity. After the collapse of the Soviet model of command socialism the old comparison between market capitalism and command socialism lost its centrality as the foundation of comparative economics. The old comparative economics has been replaced by the new comparative economics. Following trends are supposed to be more predominant in response to dramatic changes in the circumstances of comparative economic studies. First one is the economics of transition from administrative-command economy to market economy. Second one is paying special attention to institutions that are considered to play a decisive role in making difference between economic activity behavior in different countries. Third one is focus on the study of the varieties of capitalism. In conclusion, following practical tasks of the KACE for the future are put forward. First, we need to find ways to activate the KACE by training succeeding generations in the field of comparative economic studies as well as by motivating the next generation of researchers to participate more actively in the academic activities organized by the KACE. Second, the KACE should try to adapt academic achievements to the development of society and present policy directions that can be referred in choosing one among many alternatives. Third, it is required to establish intellectual tradition that may be called ‘Korean comparative economic studies’. Fourth, the KACE needs to promote international academic exchanges in a global world beyond domestic exchange of information, friendship and cooperation among its members.