How Governments Privatize: The Politics of Divestment in the United States and Germany (American Governance and Public Policy)

Compares two agencies charged with the privatization of hundreds of billions of dollars of assets following two separate crises. Cassell (political science, Kent State) chronicles the Resolution Trust Corporation created to manage assets assumed after the savings and loan failure, and the Treuhandanstalt created by Germany after unification to privatize enterprises formally owned by East Germany. The study analyzes the factors that influenced the success of both programs, and how the lessons learned can be applied by other government agencies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)