Issue 1, 2006

The paper justifies the need to develop in detail the issues of economic synergetics, which studies synergetic economic systems and is a methodology of the theory of economic transitions. The principles of self-organisation of the economic systems are grounded under the conditions of instability, unequilibrium, nonlinearity, and irreversibility on a macroscopic level and under stochastics and coherency on a microscopic level. Regarding this, the study covers issues of economic evolution, economic entropy, value dynamics of economic systems, reversibility and irreversibility of economic processes, dissipative economic structures, the mechanism of the dynamic economic stability and instability, economic bifurcation and related forms of the economic transition.

The paper is dedicated to the 230 anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith's masterpiece The Wealth of Nations (March 1776). The object of the study is the liberal world of Smith and social welfare. His contribution as the first founder of the model of "Home Economicus" is pointed out. According to it, personal interests are the basis of the economic activity.
Special attention is put on the benefits of the free foreign trade in a micro and macroeconomic context, the negative impact of monopolistic trade companies, the notion of the cosmopolitan character of the capital, justified by Smith.
The role that Smith saw for the government is specified. Ideas about externalities, restructuring of the natural monopolies, the government as a bad manager, developed by Smith in an embryonic form, are investigated too.
Contrary to some authors, who attribute the concept of the optimal resource allocation to the neo-classics, the paper argues that elements of the idea can be traced to Smith. He deserves to be associated with the predecessors of the institutionalism. The new reading of Smith's works is not only a valuation of his merits and personality, but also an explanation of the present and viewing the future.

The paper draws on the experience of Bulgaria in identifying the types and modus operandi of VAT frauds with a focus on the abuse of tax credits. It analyses the elements of tax design, conductive to such abuses, and discusses possible solutions in the light of the international and domestic experience and the capacity of the tax administration. It offers a critical analysis of the Bulgarian anti-fraud device the VAT account, as well as the various alternative policy and administrative measures, proposed and applied as barriers to VAT abuse, including policy proposals in the domain of commercial registration and price controls on business transactions. The study concludes that possible solutions should be sought along the lines of optimising risk management techniques and especially the implementation of the principle of joint responsibility, rather than through tighter control at entry or on the conduct of business.

There are different definitions of "intellectual capital" in the literature and the concept is still obscure. Its clarification is of theoretical and practical importance, which will contribute to the development of the economic science and will promote intellectuality and competitiveness of production. The crucial role of knowledge and skills for sustainable development under the conditions of "the new economics" is pointed out. Main terms, relevant to the intellectual capital, are analysed, and a new definition is formulated. Issues about the establishment of this capital are raised and areas for its better using in Bulgaria are proposed.