


Scope for corruption due to power of bureaucrats.Scope for inefficiency due to lack of incentive.Requires more levels of bureaucracy to manage and plan economic decisions.Production could be planned for five or ten years in advance.Distribution according to ration books.Prices usually set by price controls rather than market forces.
#Government makes economic decisions how to
Decisions on what to produce, how to produce and how to distribute goods taken at national bureaucratic level.The Soviet Union 1917-1991 and Soviet Bloc.The rapid economic growth of the Stalin years also occurred against a backdrop of political repression. However, by the 1960s, the system was struggling with corruption, inefficiency and a lack of incentives. The Soviet Union achieved very rapid rates of economic growth. In the period 1928-40 and after the Second World War, these Five-year plans were very successful in terms of expanding the Soviet Union’s industrial production. The Soviet Union often announced ‘5-year plans’ where targets for steel production would be created. A centrally planned economy allows a fair distribution to all and not just the capitalist class. Furthermore, the Capitalists (those who own private property) can earn money through exploiting the labour of others. Supporters of centrally planned economy argue that when economic decisions are left to the free market – monopolies emerge to exploit consumers. In theory, a Centrally planned economy can overcome market failure and achieve equality of distribution. Karl Marx ( Letter to Otto Von Boenigk (1890).“To my mind, the so-called ‘socialist society’ is not anything immutable… It’s crucial difference from the present order consists naturally in production organized on the basis of common ownership by the nation of all means of production.” The theoretical basis of a planned economy stems from the work of Karl Marx WIth Central planning, the theory is that the government will take ownership of the means of production and run the economy in the interest of workers. Definition – A centrally planned economy is an economy where decisions on what to produce, how to produce and for whom are taken by the government in a centrally managed bureaucracy.Ĭentral planning is also referred to as a ‘Command economy’ or ‘Communist economy.’
