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Kleps, Karlheinz

Article — Digitized Version Economic planning in theory and practice: The experiences of Western European countries

Intereconomics

Suggested Citation: Kleps, Karlheinz (1966) : Economic planning in theory and practice: The experiences of Western European countries, Intereconomics, ISSN 0020-5346, Verlag Weltarchiv, Hamburg, Vol. 01, Iss. 10, pp. 18-23, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02922856

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By Dr. Karlheinz Kleps, Berne

This contribution summarises some of the most significant results of a detailed investiga- tion made by the author.* It deals with planning attempts made since the end of World War II in France, Belgium, Britain, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, the con- cept and policy of a social in the Federal Republic of Germany, the long-term programmes conceived under the Marshall Plan, the "General Aims" of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community, the Five Year Plan of the Euratom Commission and the programming of within the Common Mar- ket envisaged by the EEC Commission. The author has lald particular stress upon the quantitative and qualitative efficiency of such planning experiments.

ince World War II there has been a constant in- riwise, the planning experiments introduced in Britain S crease in the number of countries in Western by Labour came to a temporary halt with the change Europe where attempts have been made at an overall of government in autumn 1951. economic direction and co-ordination, of all decisions In the last few years meanwhile, Belgium and Italy by means of so-called "outline planning", both in the have also decided in favour of a long-term "outline public and private sectors of the economy. Because plan" or Uprogramming" 1 and Britain reverted to this of this, a third group of planning countries has grown system even under a Conservative Government. In up, differing from the countries because Britain and in Belgium the impetus for planning ori- of their democratic constitutions and from the devel- ginated in the tendency which appeared between 1948 oping countries because of their high degree of in- 1960 for GNP growth-rates to fall in the lon~ dustrialisation. and term. In Italy the conversion to overall economic planning was due to the realisation that it was not The Extent of Economic Planning in Western Europe possible, in the long run, to permit two different eco- Whilst being described as a "neutral technique for nomic systems simultaneously, i.e. state planning in the preparation of economic decisions", economic the South and a in the North. "outline planning", over and above its directive and In recent years, sectional, regional and overall plan- co-ordinating functions, serves to replace a policy of ning has become more common, even on a supra- reactive and often incoherent interventionism with national level and this has reached its peak in the prophylactic, constructive action. preparation (now under way) of a programming system Efforts to achieve such a "change of style in economic for the Common Market. Among the forerunners of this policy" date back to the immediate post-war period. system of direction and co-ordination were the "Gen- In 1945/46, because of the influence exercised by the eral Aims" of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community, published since 1956, and the current situation and clue to the experiences of the Five Year Programmes introduced since 1958 by the 'thirties, the Governments of France, Britain, the European Atomic Energy Commission, as well as the Netherlands and Norway were the first to decide to national Long-term Programmes worked out within introduce national budgets covering one year and the ERP framework for the periods 1948/49--1952/53, "outline plans" covering several years. It was ex- as a condition of American economic aid. pected that these new instruments would counter the generally anticipated post-war period of depression Finally, if we consider that on many sides there is a and achieve as speedily as possible the reconstruction for a concept of overall economic planning of production plants destroyed during the war. even in those countries which do not currently go in for planning, it can be seen that the general tendency Very soon after, in autumn 1948, Sweden followed is towards a situation where the fascination of plan- the example of these four countries--the first Western ning takes an ever firmer hold. This tendency is the European countries to introduce planning. Contra- i Theoretical attempts to differentiate between "planning~ and "programming" have not so far been convincing, nor does practi- * Langfristige Wirtschaftspolitik in Westeuropa (Long-term Eco- cal experience reveal any difference. It should merely be said nornic Policy in Western Europe}. Contributions to Economic Pol- that the concept of "programming'--obviously for psychological icy Vol. 5, published by E. Tucht feldt, Freiburg im Breis- reasons--is preferred where there is very outspoken criticism of gau, 1966. state "outline planning" or "planification'.

18 INTEKECONOMICS, No. 10, 1966 more conspicuous because it is, in general, countries comparable countries with unplanned ; with planned economies which have increasingly thirdly, by means of a "Should Be/Is" comparison. serious economic problems to contend with. These three methods lead to very different results which, in each case, should be treated with consider- The reason why the fascination of planning is catching able reservation. on in spite of this obvious contradiction is threefold: First, under the influence of planning ideas which-- a) The target--whiah is tied up with planning deci- considered logically--are certainly attractive, the re- sions-of achieving a more rapid ality of planning is to a large extent neglected, in the and thus an improvement in same way as the significance of the ever varying sets has been met in the countries under consideration. of circumstances is overlooked. Secondly, scientific Contrary to expectation, the effects of war were circles are often apt to give the impression that there speedily overcome, the pre-war problem of unemploy- is no longer any particular difficulty in solving satis- ment was also solved in the first few post-war years factorily the problems connected with prognosis. Re- and continuing economic growth set the scene for a finements of method are often taken for improvements general rise in the standard of living. in prognostication. Thirdly, economic policy in coun- tries which do not have planned economies has lacked Any comparison with earlier economic development appears, therefore, to indicate the expediency of "out- conviction in recent years and this again has made line planning", with its anticipated quantitative suc- planning appear more attractive. cesses, as far as full exployment, a growing national In view of this situation, it becomes the more urgent product and a rise in general standards are concerned. to discuss the pros and cons of state outline planning. This conclusion, however, is weakened by comparably To find an answer we must start from the quantitative high rates of , tangible distortions of balance and qualitative efficiency of economic planning as and sometimes considerable balance-of-payments practised in Western Europe since World War II. difficulties which, in recent years, have forced the Governments of France, Britain, Italy and the Nether- Quantitative Efficiency of Planning lands to take some very drastic measures to stabilise their economies. At the nub of the quantitative target system of eco- nomic planning are certain GNP growth-rates which Growth-Rates I in have to be realised simultaneously with additional 12 OECD Countries 1949-1965 overall economic targets of full , monetary stability, the balancing of payments and a progressive Country Aver"age 1960 J 1961 1962 i 1963 J1964 ~ i 1965 1949---- I income . The dominant part played by 1959 i growth-rates is explained by the economic develop- Federal Rep. ment,which has in every case preceded decisions to of Germany 3 7.4 4 8.8 5.4 4.2 3.2 5.5 4.5 plan the economy, by the growing made by Austria 6.0 9.2 5.2 2.3 4.4 5.6 5.0 all sectors upon the national product and by the Italy 5.9 6.9 8.3 6.0 4.8 2.7 3.0 Switzerland 5.2 7.6 8.7 5.1 4.5 5.1 4,3 piecemeal methods used in this same planning. Holland 4.8 5 9.6 2.0 3.1 4,5 5.2 3.5 France 4.5 6.2 4.5 6.3 4.7 4.5 2.5 Varying methods are used to break down the macro- Canada 4,2 6.0 5.0 6.0 6.5 economic aggregate figures. Whereas, in first plans, Norway 3.4 6.1 5.6 3.3 5.0 6.5 5.0 the break-down has, as a rule, been restricted to a Sweden 3.4 4.0 5.8 3,5 3.3 6.2 4.0 USA 3.3 2.5 2.0 6.0 3.0 5,0 5.5 few broad categories (in the first French plan there Belgium 3.0 5.2 3.2 3.9 4.0 5.0 3.5 were seven, and seventeen in the first British Five Britain 2.4 4.6 3.3 0.2 2.9 4.5 2.0 Year Plan), subsequent plans are always broken down into a greater number of categories, both by sector and I Expressed in factor costs of 1954 . 2 Provisional figures. 3 After 1960 these figures include the Saarland and West Berlin, regionally or/and an increasing number of separate 4 Average 1950-1959. s Based on 1953 prices. plans is prepared. The fourth French Plan (1962/1965) S o u r c e s : : Economic Surveys of Europe, --contrary to what was asserted by the curreat Com- Geneva 1962 ft.; OECD: Economic Surveys 1964/65 and 1965/66; OECD: Economic Prospects for 1966, Paris, February 1966. missaire au Plan that it was "un plan de branches, et non un plan d'entreprises ou de produits " b) Because of the differing stages of development and (a plan for sectors, not a plan for firms or pro- varying sets of circumstances (economic and other- d u c t s ) "--already contained detailed targets for in- wise), it is extremely complicated to make a valid dividual and performances. comparison with economic development in countries which do not have a . It is impossible Any statement about quantitative efficiency can be to voice any opinion unless it can be generally estab- made in three different ways: first, by making a com- 1/shed that the up-turn achieved by means of "outline parison with the economic development which took planning" (compared with pre-war) has also occurred place before the plan was introduced; secondly, by in countries wit h out planned economies. This making a comparison with economic development in further weakens the (in part) positive impression of 2 p. M a s s ~ : Les principes de la planification francaise (The quantitative planning efficiency which is gained when Principles of French Planning), Weltwirtschaftliches Archly, Vol. 82 {1964}, Issue I, p. 121 {Editor's emphasis}. the first method is applied.

INTERECONOMICS. No. t0, 1966 I9 c) In general, a comparison of the planned targets 47 "/o overfulfilment of the planned figure in the auto- with figures actually realised is believed to be a re- mobile industry. latively solid basis for judging quantitative planning It can be seen that the planners" arguments tend to efficiency. But under closer scrutiny this method also force discussion of quantitative planning efficiency in appears dubious. a direction where any statement of opinion no longer appears objective. Investigations show that the more and more differ- entiated planning targets were either: almost realisedl Thus, in spite of a twenty-year period of experimen- or they fell far short of the target; or the targets were tation and judgi, ng from its quantitative efficiency over-reached. Additionally, it must be said that, as a hitherto, economic outline planning--seen as a whole general rule, deviations from plan are aggravated by --appears somewhat unconvincing; it remains to be further breaking down the aggregate figures and by seen to what extent this type of planning can be lengthening planning periods. But a third general find- justified by its qualitative merits. ing is even more remarkable, i.e. that deviation from plan where the aggregate figures are comparable Qualitative Efficiency of Planning (e.g. public and private ; public and pri- vate ) are greater in the public than in the The qualitative efficiency of planning practice to date private sector of the economy. is best pointed up by a comparison between the theses expounded by planners and the actual position at any Hitherto these findings have held without exception, given time: but it is difficult to make any evaluation, first because 1. The type of planning practices, recommended or of the differing planning requirements and, secondly demanded hitherto is everywhere described as because of the degree of liability which is expressed o u t 1 i n e planning and is restricted (or supposed- in state planning policy, but not in the mainly differ- ly restricted) to macro-economic aggregate figures, ently phrased statements made by the planners. to broad sectors of the economy {agriculture, By strict standards, where any deviation from targets power, communications, etc.), development areas is given an equally negative rating, all planning ex- and the social infrastructure. periments to date would, without exception, have to In those countries of Western Europe which have gone be considered failures, although to different degrees. over to planning and where two or more plans have A priori, this would mean that it is possible to aGhieve already been prepared there has been, without excep- a balanced economic development by means of a tion, a progressive extension and simultaneous inten- comprehensive system of targets and, equally, that sification of planning activity. This is expressed in any deviation from this target system must logically two ways: first in the extension of the central plan lead to an imbalance {bottleneck or excess capacity). and the increasing number of categories it contains; secondly, in the constantly rising number of separate However, if such an uncompromising method is used plans. It is extremely doubtful whether planning sys- to evaluate quantitative planning efficiency it will be tems developed in this way can really be described objected that for the private sector "outline planning ~ is merely a signposting and indicative instrument. It as "outline planning". would also mean not only that small shortfalls but 2. Collaboration between representatives of individ- also amounts in excess of target should be taken to ual economic sectors and groups in the virious mean that the plan had been fulfilled successfully for planning and advisory forums is not considered in such cases the plan is considered to have shown only as a specific expression of the predomi- properly the direction of development and thus en- nance of democratic principles even couraged or accelerated economic activity in these in economic life, but as a guarantee that sectors. In addition--so the argument goes--shortfalls such planning will be highly re- are more or less compensated for by such achieve- alistic. ments. Taking the first point of view, it should be stated that Those who are inclined to agree with these arguments representatives of private industry who collaborate in and to lower their standards of planning accuracy planning and advisory forums are invited to do so at will also have to admit that any further discussion of the suggestions of a governmental central planning quantitative planning efficiency is useless. First, be- authority (in France, for example, the Commissaire au cause this would lead to a fruitless discussion about Plan) and parliaments are not concerned in the selec- what degree of deviation from plan is, in fact, ac- tion procedure. Thus there is at least a possibility that ceptable and can be declared a success. Secondly, it the government will select only personalities of whom would lead to an equally unsatisfactory and endless it approves and of whose basic concurrence there is controversy about what deviations can be compen- no doubt. Whether, and to what extent, governments sated for at any given time. For instance--to give a make use of this opportunity cannot be established in concrete example--it would be necessary to ask specific cases. whether a 24 ~ shortfall below target in the machine tool industry is better balanced by a 42% overfulfil- Narrow limitations are placed upon what would be ment of a target for the chemical i,ndustry or by a the optimum degree of reality in planning. Even over

20 LNTERECONOMICS, No. 1O, 1966 one-year periods, the investment targets set by, for in the formulation of the plan and the facilities it instance, coal, iron and steel industries at the begin- offers. All those who feel they have been prejudiced ning of each year at the request of the High Authority are, based on past experience, inclined to seize every often differ importantly from that that opportunity to compensate themselves by other means are, in fact, made. Even the general line of develop- and this must in every case lead to non-fulfilment of ment is not always predicted correctly. In the monthly the plan. Equally, where the system of multi-lateral estimates made by entrepreneurs, for example (i.e. compromise is first infringed by one group, this estimates relating to order figures), the accuracy means that all other groups are released from their quotient is not much more than 50% . With four or obligation. Just by considering the limitations upon five-year planning periods the degree of prognosis or the disorganisation of the plan caused is very much greater. VCe make only marginal mention by external economic influences we can see that it is of the problem of predictions of intent by entre- wishful thinking to hope planning will achieve any preneurs. general and permanent balance of . 3. The scientific basis of planning is to be 5. In many cases the State is demanded to assured by co-operation of scientists in the pre- adhere strictly to the plan regardless paration of such plans. of whether the legislature is involved in the pre- Here, too, the possibilities are strictly limited. If it is paration of the plan or not. held that the development of consumption and invest- Prima facie, the fact that the State itself takes the ment cannot be predicted with accuracy three months decision to plan, decides the nature of the plan, ex- ahead but that the trend and the approximate degree ercises a decisive influence upon the preparation of of change can, this is very often not the case-as the plan and thus gives evidence of its particular has been seen, for instance, from the predictions of in the coordination of all economic decisions the Dutch Centraal Planbureau--for estimates cover- to be taken over the period in question underpins this ing one year only. For periods of several years the claim. On the other hand, the close and reciprocal uncertainty is very much greater, even using estimates relations and interdependencies existing between the worked out by scientific methods. The power esti- private and public sectors gainsay it. Deviations from mates for the last years and the "General Aims" for one aspect of a plan (e.g. unforeseen increases in steel have left very little doubt about the difficulty and salaries) entail unavoidable and corres- of giving any real scientific basis to long-term prog- ponding divergences elsewhere. Over and above this, noses, or about the risks inherent in such predictions. it must be considered that external factors have more From these severely limited opportunities for prog- influence upon economic decisions taken by the State nosis it follows that the data contained in such plans than is the case in the private sector. Thus to claim --from the overall size of the GNP down to individual that the State has an absolute duty to adhere to --must be regarded as the result the plan, without allowing any "contingency fund ~ of various compromises worked out between persons based on income and outgoings (i.e. not to allow collaborating in drawing up the plan. The planners exemptions from the plan) is unrealistic. are deluded into assuming that such compromises may Neither of these points, however (economic inter- remain practicable throughout the four or five-year dependence and external influences) is sufficient to period. explain the unequal degree of divergence between 4. The participation of representatives of individual state decisions and planning targets which is present sectors and groups of the economy in drawing up in every country. This phenomenon can only be under- the plan is tied up with the belief that these people stood by considering the following aspects of and the organisations they represent w i 1 1 b e - planning. have in accordance with the plan. 6. Believers in "outline planning" continually em- It has meanwhile become very apparent in France, phasise that this is not binding upon the Britain and Italy that this belief becomes wishful private sector of the economy. For thinking as soon as one or another of the groups feels this sector, data contained in the plan are only that it has not been given sufficient consideration intended as an indication of which use can be made (i.e. according to its own estimate of its importance) in planning individual industries--or not.

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INTERECONOMtCS, No. 10, 1966 21 In view of the comparatively much greater number of Hitherto all these and other similar measures which decision-makers in the private sector, it would be are used to implement planning in the private sector obvious to assume, if such planning is really not bind- but are not mentioned in the "indicative outline plans" ing for them, that their deviations would be corres- have been in each case, either only partly successful pondingly greater, even using comparable aggregate or have tailed as to their quantitative efficiency; this figures. However, this is not the case in all countries is mainly because provisions contained in various with planned economies for reasons which show that international agreements do not allow the degree of both the allegedly indicative character of the plan control over foreign required by such a plan and vis-a-vis the private sector and the assertion that the also because the degree of difference within the econ- French Plan is not a "plan de produits" are pure omy is too great, as are the numbers of private deception: decision-makers, compared with the breakdown of the plan, to be able to exercise State control without a) In France, meanwhile, a comprehensive and allowing loopholes. extremely differential arsenal of economic devices has been developed, stretching from conferment of the Thus--with the exception of Sweden~--whilst the ribbon of the Legion d'Honneur, through a great vari- general tendency is for State influence on the be- ety of subsidies, fixed prices and ceilings, to haviour of private decision-ma~ers (not least the State credit handouts and credit control. All these are unions) to increase with "indicative outline planning" used to guide private decisions in whatever direction and for effective co-ordination to he achieved in this the State considers desirable. Nevertheless it is some- sector, it is apparent that State authorities are not times believed that there are considerable differences prepared to subordinate their freedom of action to between planning practice in the Eastern bloc and in any plan. France, since in the former orders are given by the 7. Whereas French planning, for example, is de- State and in the latter they are not. One cannot help scribed by its enthusiasts as a "cr6ateur de simpli- wondering, however, whether the granting or with- cit6", the EEC Commission recommends the joint holding of facilities to raise funds on the mar- programming which it advocates as an instrument, ket, the granting or otherwise of subsidies, etc., are not the least of whose services will be to r e d u c e any less effective than a straightforward "directive State intervention. from above". Leaving aside the programming for the Common Mar- b) In t h e N e t h e r 1 a n d s-- as long as unemploy- ket which is still in a preparatory stage, the economic ment was relatively high and apart from the State development of every country which is supposedly influence on import prices and a differential system aiming at reducing State intervention by means of of subsidies mainly in favour of exporting industries "outline planning" (with the exception of Sweden) i~ --the decisive factor influencing the approximate ful- precisely the opposite. In this respect, countries with filment of Government targets has been, in the main, planned economies are not basically very different the State wages policy. But since a stage of full and from the other Western industrial countries, but, on even overemployment has been reached previous State the one hand, in this connection it is a question of policy in wages has become ineffective. For this rea- comparing the planners' theses with current reality, son, discussions are being held in Holland both about on the other hand, there is also an unmistakable and the use of drastic stabilisation methods and on new relatively strong increase of interventionism in coun- and more effective methods of enforcing a tries with planned economies. Even if there are differ- and incomes policy. ences of degree, this holds for the Netherlands and c) In N o r w a y State manipulation of import prices, Norway just as much as for France, where there is an a comprehensive system of and income subsidies even more rapid degree of escalation as far as inter- and State control of the wages structure were the vention is concerned. The British system of planning main methods with which the Social Democratic Gov- and the contemplated "Prices and Incomes Policy" ernment, until its defeat in September 1965, was try- lead us to anticipate a similar development there. ing to guide the behaviour of decision-makers in the 8. Its supporters believe that, as a directional and private sector. ~) coordinating device, economic outline planning d) In Britain the State "Prices and Incomes Pol- ensures amore rational State economic icy" is regarded as the nub of the planning policy policy. introduced by the Labour Government. There is no objective critique which helps to prove e) In Belgium and I t a 1 y there has recently been convincingly that this thesis is right or wrong, but discussion about an effective State incomes policy actual development tendencies hitherto give some since these countries have met with difficulties in grounds for doubt, also about rationalisation argument. implementing their plans. 4 9. The reference to the often lengthy periods 3 See Kartheinz K 1 e p s : V,rirtschaftsplanung in Norwegen (Eco- of fruition of private investments nomic Planning in Norway: Hamburger Jahrbuda ffir Wirtschafts- und Gesellsdaaftspolitik, 10th Year (1965); published by H,-D. 5 See also Karlheinz K I e p s : Langfristige Wirtschafts- und So- Or tlieb and B. Molitor, Ttibiugen 1965, p. 186ff. zialplanung in Schweden (Long-term Economic and Social Planning 4 The opportunities and limitations of State prices and incomes in Sweden): Hamburger Jahrbuch ffir Wirtsd~afts- und Gesell- policies as a method of overcoming problems of inflation are to schaftspolitik, ltth Year (1986), published by H.-D. O r t 1 ieb be investigated in a later contribution by the author. and B. Molitor, Tfibingen, 1966, p. 60ff.

22 INTERECONOMICS, No, I0, 1965 is one of the arguments in favour of outline plan- In these recommendations both "medium-term" pro- ning extending over a period of several years be- gramming and national outline planning are sug- ing used as a guiding and co-ordinating device also gested as methods for improving the general market in the private sector. information and for overcoming obstacles in the way of small and medium-sized firms which are not in a Apart from the fact that private often need position, as are their more important competitors, to to look much further ahead than a four or five-year maintain their own research departments or to com- planning period, no outline plan covering several mission scientific institutes to make forward-looking years has yet been prepared which, a year later, investigations (market research). When the joint pro- seemed anything more than a doubtful basis for justify- gramme is announced this would achieve a certain ing State intervention in the private sector, more than balance of information and would thus give smaller an object for academic discussion or even more than and medinm-sized firms the chance to reach rational a myth (France!). This is the basis of the idea of decisions so that becomes stronger. "progressive" (rolling) planning which has been evolved in Sweden so that a planning period of sev- But the same source also states--apparently because eral years can be revised either at intervals of one it recognises the danger of undesirable anticipations year or when unforeseen and serious disruptions of connected with the publication of official prognoses plan occur; this allows the plan period to be amended and programmes--that the programme to be published correspondingly. However, since it is more difficult should contain only data referring to aggregate figures for entrepreneurs to base their prognoses upon such for the whole economy and its broader economic sec- general figures and since the necessity for revision tors (agriculture, power, communications, infrastruc- increases as aggregate figures are further broken ture). Detailed prognoses should remain secret. down, it is difficult to see what useful indications this It is obvious that overall targets will not really satisfy type of "progressive" planning will offer where de- the hunger of smaller and medium-sized firms for in- cisions on private investment are concerned. formation and prognoses. Such targets are more in- 10. In general, it is argued by its supporters and by clined to prejudice them still further, although most those responsible for planning that outline plan- probably this also happens when authorities decide to ning for periods of several years is a method publish detailed data as well. For large firms have a of intensifying competition although very much better chance of evaluating such informa- scarcely anyone of them omits to express his per- tions for their own planning than do smaller and sonal conviction of the superiority of the market medium-sized firms. economy system. The publication of data in connection with a plan must The contrast between such pronouncements and actual therefore be considered a failure as a method for planning practice--which is all we are concerned with strengthening competition. Particularly on oliogopolis- --is so great that no more detailed explanation is tic markets, the result is rather the opposite, particu- generally given of how competition is intensified by larly since the certainly latent inclinations towards planning. Only in France has it been candidly stated market agreements are increased by the publication in various quarters that what is intended is not so of detailed targets. For instance, if, in a branch where much to intensify competition between d o m e s fi c there are few competitors a certain rise in turnover is indicated and if the State is aiming to achieve its firms as to intensify the international com- targets of the plan, the inclination of firms on that petitiveness of the French economy. market to divide it up amongst themselves will be the Not even the EEC Commission appears to have any greater. very clear idea as yet of the competitive efficiency of This obvious miscalculation or underestimation of the the joint programming it is aiming for. Although the negative competitive efficiency inherent in central Commission stresses that particular emphasis he plans covering the private sector of the economy placed upon the maintenance and encouragement of derives from a basic attitude which is hard to recon- competition; but apart from such general statements, cile with the almost universally expressed conviction it has not yet succeeded in removing the contradic- that competition is of the utmost significance for eco- tions contained in its recommendations of July 1963. nomic development.

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INrERECONOMICS, No. 1O, 1966 23