About the CRCE

Welcome to our Website.  There is much of interest in its pages and publications can be downloaded for free. Do look at the news page with archived copies of the Newsletter over many years.

The Centre for Research into Communist Economies (CRCE) was founded in 1983 by three remarkable men, alas no longer with us. They were Ljubo Sirc, CBE, Lord Harris of the Institute of Economic Affairs and Sir Antony Fisher of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation.

In 1996 the Centre was renamed the Centre for Research in Post-Communist Economies. The Centre operated independently of any government or EU subsidy.  Funds were from enlightened individuals, businesses and foundations for research into the problems of communist economies and those economies making the transition from communism to democracy and market economies.

The CRCE provided a unique forum for academics, regional specialists, journalists and others to participate in discussions on individual countries, as well as the opportunity to meet reformist economists and politicians involved in the transition process. Indeed, many young economists from Russia and Eastern Europe supported by the CRCE emerged as key figures in the post-communist world.

In response to a request from the young reformers in the early 1990s, the CRCE assisted in the formation of an economic research centre in Moscow, the International Centre for Economic Transformation (ICRET). Over the years ICRET developed into several specialist independent institutes.

The CRCE has published over 60 books and briefing papers – many can be read online.

In 1989 the Centre began publication of a quarterly journal, Post-Communist Economies (formerly Communist Economies and Economic Transformation). Roger Clarke, formerly of University of Glasgow, was the editor until 2015. Dr Richard Connolly, Senior Lecturer in Political Economy at CREES, University of Birmingham, has succeeded him, and the Journal is now published under the auspices of the University.