I don't know how best to characterize it. Russia
was a basket case after the revolution (even before). What it tried
to do under Stalin and even subsequently was to industrialize very rapidly,
which meant, via the state planning system, a very heavy emphasis on
producers goods, especially those needed for heavy industry, and
little emphasis on consumers goods. Because of both paranoia and
legitimate fears, there were huge expenditures on the military, meaning even
less for the ordinary householder. By about the 1980s, the system was
simply not able to meet all of the demands it had placed on itself, and ordinary
Russians had become tired of being asked to wait just a little longer for the
workers' paradise to arrive. It then began to collapse of its own
weight.
Via the planning system, the state decided both
production and distribution, and I find it very difficult to distinguish between
the two in the case of the USSR.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Evans Harrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Harry Pollard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
> I'm just a poor artist but I do remember that discussion from you economists
> talking about our superior distribution. I'm confused. Educate me
> please.
>
> REH
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Harry Pollard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 2:00 AM
> Subject: RE: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
>
>
> > Arthur,
> >
> > Wouldn't you know it?
> >
> > You almost repeated - word for word - what Henry George said in
> > 1878.
> >
> > Great minds think alike!
> >
> > It's the reason why Classical Political Economy is described as
> > "The Science that deals with the Nature, the Production, and the
> > Distribution of Wealth.
> >
> > That "Distribution" bit is the essence of Political Economy.
> > Would that modern economists would start thinking about why the
> > distribution is so unfair, instead of devising ways to patch the
> > system by taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
> >
> > Harry
> >
> > ********************************************
> > Henry George School of Social Science
> > of Los Angeles
> > Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042
> > Tel: 818 352-4141 -- Fax: 818 353-2242
> > http://haledward.home.comcast.net
> > ********************************************
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 5:26 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: RE: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
> >
> > We have "solved" the production problem but can't seem to deal
> > with the issue of distribution.
> >
> > Arthur
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 5:15 PM
> > To: 'Brad McCormick, Ed.D.'; 'Ed Weick'
> > Cc: 'futurework'
> > Subject: RE: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
> >
> >
> > Brad,
> >
> > We are discussing these problems in a society where the power to
> > produce has reached unbelievable proportions (After many have
> > been thrown out of work, the industries they left behind are
> > actually producing more. Productivity hasn't fallen even though
> > there are far fewer workers employed.)
> >
> > Why these "problems"?
> >
> > Harry
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 - Release Date: 12/5/2003
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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>
>