The hallmark of central planning is that the more technology advances, the more your economy falls apart due to the impossibility of calculating every detail centrally. Good read on the subject: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/155597...

You’re going to love reading “Red Plenty” https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/0571...

:)

You’re going to love reading “Red Plenty” https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/0571...

:)

I think it was the fall in oil prices in the late 70s/early 80s - combined with a ruinous invasion of Afghanistan - that finally did in the Soviet Union economically. Putin should take note.

Otherwise - despite the appalling human cost of projects such as the White Sea Canal and farm collectivisation - the USSR did indeed become a global power if only for a short period. Red Plenty [1] is an excellent book on the subject.

[1] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/0571...

The Amazon page for Francis Spufford's Red Plenty, http://www.amazon.com/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/1555976... , currently features as 2nd comment one that starts by saying:

"I happened to grew up in Soviet Union and actually met some of the people mentioned in this book ..."

(and goes on to praise the authors accuracy.)

The central planning, linear programming-driven Soviet dream was explored in the excellent book "Red Plenty" by Francis Spufford. I would heavily recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/B00B9ZD...

For a very good extended historical view on how this kind of mess-up kept on happening in communism, also see the book Red Plenty. ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Plenty-Francis-Spufford/dp/05712... )