A fascinating conversation between an Eastern European statesman... and an American economist... The economist lays out the arguments for unfettered capitalism of a textbook variety; the statesman reminds him that reality in western economies differs significantly from such an idealized world. In a remarkably short time spent with this book, even a neophyte can learn much about the issues facing those who must grapple with the monumental task of converting economies from pale shadows of the socialist ideal to (hopefully) less pale shadows of the capitalist version. -- William F. Sharpe, Nobel Laureate in Economics Organized imaginatively and written with wit and style ... lucid and accessible. -- Padma Desai, Harriman Institute for Advanced Study of the Soviet Union

Adam Smith Goes to Moscow is a captivating dialogue between the head of a hypothetical, formerly socialist East European country and a fervently market-minded American adviser. Their spirited give-and-take highlights the monumental political as well as economic complexities currently faced by the former Soviet bloc countries as they struggle to transform themselves into free market economies.