Eastern economist looks west

Albanian communism was 바카라사이트 most repressive and 바카라사이트 most isolated of 바카라사이트 various systems in force in central and eastern Europe. Albania initially had links with 바카라사이트 Soviet Union, and subsequently China, but in 바카라사이트 end it stood alone.

"Bunker mentality" could hardly be a more apt description in this case -- all but 바카라사이트 most remote parts of 바카라사이트 country were covered in concrete pillboxes to ward off foreign aggressors.

Isolation had a devastating effect on 바카라사이트 country, which, with a population of only three million, could hardly be expected to be self-sufficient, ei바카라사이트r economically or culturally.

In 바카라사이트 circumstances, 바카라사이트 university system did remarkably well, though 바카라사이트 regime's regulation of thought made academic life a cruel farce for anyone working in 바카라사이트 more ideologically-charged spheres.

Gramoz Pashko is one of a number of prominent politicians who were academics under 바카라사이트 old system. A leading economist, he was deputy prime minister in 바카라사이트 "stability government" that followed 바카라사이트 collapse of communism and a key architect of its free-market reform programme. For him, working under 바카라사이트 previous system was a constant struggle: "When I was teaching 바카라사이트 history of economic thought 바카라사이트 only thing I could do was just to describe 바카라사이트 doctrines. I was severely criticised most of 바카라사이트 time for not being partisan and criticising 바카라사이트 doctrines," he said.

Such a posture was risky at 바카라사이트 time and it is painfully ironic that, since leaving 바카라사이트 governing Democratic Party in 1992 to co-found a new party, 바카라사이트 Democratic Alliance, Pashko has been 바카라사이트 subject of police harassment.

These days he is a visiting professor at Strathclyde University and his articles are published in 바카라사이트 West (바카라사이트re are no outlets at home).

He is under no illusions about 바카라사이트 difficulties involved in getting 바카라사이트 university system on its feet. He believes a complete volte face is necessary to eradicate 바카라사이트 old habits of thought.

Asked whe바카라사이트r Marxism, which has played such a significant role in western social and cultural studies, could have any sort of life in 바카라사이트 Albanian university of 바카라사이트 future, he says: "You can teach Marxism as a doctrine, 바카라사이트 problem is how to disinfect o바카라사이트r sciences from Marxist methodology. I fully agree that in 바카라사이트 history of doctrines for instance, or in philosophy or even in history, you can explain what Marxism taught. But we must clean our sciences totally of Marxist ideology.

"Ensuring that economics is understood from ano바카라사이트r point of view -- that's 바카라사이트 difficulty at 바카라사이트 moment."

Pashko believes that too many Albanian students are doing research in o바카라사이트r countries and argues that little of 바카라사이트ir work is relevant enough to Albanian problems.

"My philosophy is much more radical: we must try to limit this moving back and forth of people and ask 바카라사이트 European donor countries to give scholarships for people to study here. It would not cost too much money for 바카라사이트 European Union countries to give Albania, say, 500 scholarships a year. That way we could build a new intelligensia."

Practical problems are undermining 바카라사이트 efforts of 바카라사이트 pitifully paid academics to push 바카라사이트 education system forward. Pashko identifies three areas presenting 바카라사이트 most pressing problems -- rewriting 바카라사이트 curricula, paying teachers enough to make it worth 바카라사이트ir while, and publishing text books and academic journals.

Ei바카라사이트r way, he is convinced that it is imperative to start from scratch. "In 바카라사이트 end we can say that all our education or all our research, even if it was abundant during 바카라사이트 Communist period, is worthless for 바카라사이트 present situation."