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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Economics

University of Puget Sound

Economic Development

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

From Communism To The European Union: A Case Study Of Agricultural And Economic Development In Poland, Samantha Anuszewska Anders Dec 2015

From Communism To The European Union: A Case Study Of Agricultural And Economic Development In Poland, Samantha Anuszewska Anders

Economics Theses

This paper explores the Poland’s agricultural value added per worker as an indicator of economic success post-Soviet era and into its transition to the European Union. Holding GDP and other factors constant, our model shows that Poland’s value added per worker is superior to most other countries in Europe. This success is attributed to Poland’s private agricultural system, which was retained despite Soviet influence. We further conclude that countries that produce a high quantity of potatoes and rye, Poland’s top crops, on average have lower value added per worker.


Un-Obtainium: The Quest For Rare Earth Elements, Brahm Heyman Jul 2012

Un-Obtainium: The Quest For Rare Earth Elements, Brahm Heyman

International Political Economy Theses

The 17 "rare earth elements" are essential for the development of new technologies. Over the last several decades, China has established a virtual monopoly on the rare earth industry, producing over 97% of the world's current demand. This was achieved by effectively undercutting other producers who stopped competing in this market. In 2010, in an effort to bolster its domestic market, China decided to reduce the amount of rare earth elements that it would export. This situation can be used to consider China's relations with the rest of the world from two perspectives. (1) The realist perspective views China's actions …