Issue 2, 2006

The article continues a publication with the same title and outlines the development of the economic theory during the 20th century. The review of the evolution of the neoclassical school ends with the study on the emergence and development of modern macroeconomics. Special attention is put on the newest trends in macroeconomics from the last quarter of the 20th century. The non-orthodox economic schools - institutionalism and marxism and their evolution during the century are studied. It is pointed out that although at the end of the century the pluralism of economic ideas is preserved, there is a clear trend of growing interaction and infiltration among the main theoretical schools, which will have an important influence on the nature of the economic theory in the future.

An attempt is made to assess the expenditure and transfers of Bulgarian emigration during the period after the last census in 2001. Estimates are compared to the official information from the Bulgarian National Bank. The socio-demographic profile and the transfer behaviour of returning emigrants is revealed too. Opportunities are sought to assess the impact of transfers on household incomes, as well as the ways of their using. A representative inquiry among the Bulgarian households is conducted, as well as among their members, who had spent more than three months abroad.

The contribution of each municipality to the environmental state of the country is outlined, concerning the following components: surface water, air and waste. Integral values are calculated and through the taxonomic approach all municipalities are ranged according to their distance from a hypothetical municipality with optimal environmental characteristics. The problems of areas with bad conditions related to acoustic environment and electromagnetic field are outlined too. In comparison with last periods the current study makes an attempt to enrich the analytical material (more indicators related to the air and wastes are included) and to draw more precise conclusions about the actual development level of Bulgarian municipalities.

The two forms - additive and index, of the factor analysis of increases and decreases of absolute result quantities are studied. A transition is made from the additive form of the factor analysis with growths of absolute result quantities with non-mean data to its additive and index form with mean data. The analysis of absolute result quantities is connected with the analysis of their means and a whole methodology for factor analysis of their changes is deduced.

The 20th century gives us the worst inflation in human history. Every country in the world is hit during that very period. The reason for its existence is pointed out, as well as whether it is an inevitable phenomenon during the 21st century. Exchange rates and inflation are investigated. Countries, which currency appreciates against the dollar during the century, are pointed out. The inflation during the period of the two world wars and after the fall of the socialism is analysed briefly. A conclusion is drawn that the inflation is not inevitable.