
What are the pros and cons of a command economy?
The Pros of a Command Economy
- Goods can be rapidly mobilized. When there is one central control mechanism, it is easier for resources to be delivered to where they are needed.
- It stops businesses from abusing the market for their own profits. ...
- It becomes easier to achieve long-term goals. ...
- Social needs are often met first. ...
What countries have a command economy?
These include:
- The government has absolute control over the country’s finances, including setting salary rates for workers.
- The government has absolute power over all the country’s resources, and controls the pricing of goods and services.
- Both state-owned and privately owned companies are directed by the government.
What are the goals of a command economy?
What are the goals of a command economy?
- Economic Freedom. Ability to make your own economy decisions.
- Economy Efficiency. Use the factors of production wisely.
- Economic Security. Desire to have protection from layoffs and illness.
- Price Stability. Desire to have stable prices.
- Economic Growth.
- Full Employment.
- Economic Equity.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of command economy?
To see how it works for a country, let us look at its advantages and disadvantages. 1. Industrial power is boosted. To realize massive projects and attain imperative social goals, command economy would try to boost industrial power. 2. Monopolizing is not allowed.

How much control does the government have over the command economy?
A command economy is one in which a centralized government controls the means of production and determines output levels. Command economies stand in contrast to free-market economies, those in which the law of supply and demand determines output and prices.
What economies are controlled by the government?
In a command economy, the system is controlled by the government. A mixed economy is partly run by the government and partly as a free market economy, which is an economic system that includes no government intervention and is mainly driven by the law of supply and demand.
Who controls the market in a command economy?
the governmentAs the concepts of money, voluntary exchange, and individual property rights developed, market economies arose as one of three modern economic systems. Another modern economic system is the command economy, where the government controls all economic decisions, in sharp contrast to the market economy.
What is an example of a command economy?
Alternatively, a command economy is organized by a centralized government that owns most, if not all, businesses and where government officials direct all the factors of production. East Germany, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union are all examples of command economies.
What Cannot be done by the government in a command economy?
Which of the following cannot be done by the government in a command economy? Deciding what goods consumers buy.
What is a command economy quizlet?
command economy- An economic system in which the government controls a country's economy. market economy- an economy that relies chiefly on market forces to allocate goods and resources and to determine prices.
Which best describes a command economy?
command economy, economic system in which the means of production are publicly owned and economic activity is controlled by a central authority that assigns quantitative production goals and allots raw materials to productive enterprises.
What is economic control?
An economic control is said to be established, when restrictions on individual are imposed. An individual can be producer or consumer. The control, thus, restricts the choices of producers and consumers.
What is command economy?
A command economy is when government central planners own or control the means of production, and determine the distribution of output. Command economies suffer from problems with poor incentives for planners, managers, and workers in state-owned enterprises. Central planners in a command economy are unable to rationally determine the methods, ...
Why are command economies better than free market economies?
Additionally, proponents allege that command economies have better control of employment levels than free-market economies, as they can create jobs to put people to work when necessary, even in the absence of a legitimate need for such work. Lastly, command economies are widely believed to be superior for taking decisive, coordinated action in the face of national emergencies and crises such as wars and natural disasters. Even mostly market-based societies will often curtail property rights and greatly expand emergency powers of their central governments during such events at least temporarily.
Why are capital and infrastructure unowned resources?
Because all or most productive capital and infrastructure is commonly owned or state owned in a command economy and not owned by specific individuals, they are effectively unowned resources from the users' perspective.
What is the first problem in command economy?
First is the incentive problem , and second is the economic calculation or knowledge problem. The incentive problem works in a few ways. For one, central planners and other policy makers in a command economy are all too human.
What is the difference between a free market and a command economy?
Free-market economies utilize private ownership as the means of production and voluntary exchanges/contracts. Command economy governments own the factors of production such as land, capital, and resources, and government officials determine when, where, and how much is produced.
What does it mean to get ahead in a command economy?
As a result, getting ahead in a command economy means pleasing the party bosses and having the right connections, rather than maximizing shareholder value or meeting consumer demands, so corruption tends to be pervasive.
Why are monopolies common in command economies?
Monopolies are common in command economies as these entities are considered necessary in order to meet the goals of the national economy.
What is command economy?
The Balance. A command economy is where a central government makes all economic decisions. Either the government or a collective owns the land and the means of production. It doesn't rely on the laws of supply and demand that operate in a market economy. A command economy also ignores the customs that guide a traditional economy.
Who developed the command economy?
Viennese economist Otto Neurath developed the concept of a command economy after World War I. Neurath proposed it as a way to control hyperinflation. The phrase “command economy” comes from the German word "Befehlswirtschaft.”.
How to identify a modern centrally planned economy?
You can identify a modern, centrally planned economy by the following five characteristics: The government creates a central economic plan. The five-year plan sets economic and societal goals for every sector and region of the country . Shorter-term plans convert the goals into actionable objectives.
How can a planned economy help the economy?
Planned economies can quickly mobilize economic resources on a large scale. They can execute massive projects, create industrial power, and meet social goals. They aren't slowed down by lawsuits from individuals or environmental impact statements.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a command economy?
A command economy has a few advantages, although they come with a few important disadvantages as well. Advantages. Can manipulate large amounts of resources for large projects without lawsuits or environmental regulatory issues.
What is the central government's goal?
Its goal is to allocate resources to maximize social welfare. The main advantage is that the government can rapidly move resources and transform the structure of society to achieve a national goal.
Which countries have command economies?
Here are examples of the most well-known countries with command economies: Belarus: This former Soviet satellite is still a command economy. 2 The government owns 80% of the country's businesses and 75% of its banks. China: After World War II, Mao Tse Tung created a society ruled by Communism.
What are the characteristics of a command economy?
In a command economy, the government has a multi-year central macroeconomic plan which sets objectives like nationwide employment rates and what the government-owned industries will produce. The government enacts laws and regulations to implement and enforce its economic plan.
Who developed the command economy?
The theory of a command economy was defined by Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto as “common ownership of the means of production,” and it became a typical characteristic of communist governments.
What are the pros and cons of command economy?
Some advantages of a command economy include: They can move quickly. Controlled by the government itself, industries can complete massive projects without politically motivated delays and fears of private lawsuits.
Why do command economies have black markets?
Since their economic plans are unable to respond to changing consumer needs in a timely manner, command economies often suffer from over and under production resulting in shortages and wasteful surpluses. They encourage “ black markets ” that illegally make and sell products not produced by the command economy.
Why do command economies discourage innovation?
Command economies breed governments which limit the rights of individuals to pursue their personal financial goals. Due to their lack of free-market competition , command economies discourage innovation. Industry leaders are rewarded for following government directives rather than for creating new products and solutions.
What is the central government?
In a command economy (also known as a centrally planned economy), the central government controls all major aspects of a nation's economy and production. The government, rather than the traditional free market economy laws of supply and demand, mandates which goods and services will be produced and how they will be distributed and sold.
What is the command economic philosophy of North Korea?
North Korea. The command economic philosophy of this secretive communist nation focuses on meeting the needs of its people. For example, by owning all of the homes and setting their prices accordingly, the government keeps the cost of housing low.
What are the benefits of command economy?
If done properly and with adequate resources, a command economy offers the following benefits: 1 Society favors social welfare and equity rather than profiteering 2 Prevents monopolies by private businesses in identified crucial industries, such as health and energy 3 Low levels or elimination of unemployment 4 Ensures access to basic necessities
What type of economic system is North Korea?
Businesses in the finance, utilities, and automotive industries are owned and monopolized by state authorities. Government policies are created to carry out the centralized economic plan. This type of economic system is a key feature in communist or socialist countries, such as modern-day North Korea.
What is the purpose of economic plans?
Economic plans are centrally created by the government for the majority, if not all, sectors and regions. The government distributes the nation’s capital, labor, and natural resources in the means it deems most efficient. Production and prices are dictated by the government.
What is market economy?
Market Economy Market economy is defined as a system where the production of goods and services are set according to the changing desires and abilities of. to an extreme command economy. The command economy is a type of system where the government plays the principal role in planning and regulating goods and services produced in the country.
What is the government's role in command economy?
In a command economy, it is the government that decides what to produce, how to produce goods and how to distribute goods and services within the economy. Command economies were often associated with the political system of Communism.
What is the threat of command economy?
Threat to democracy and liberty. A command economy creates a very powerful government which limits individuals rights to pursue economic objectives. This invariably creates a climate where governments can extend their control into other areas of people’s lives. Bureaucratic.
What is the government's macroeconomic objective?
Government macro-economic objectives. In a command economy, the government will have over-riding macroeconomic objectives such as employment rates and what to produce. Some centrally planned economies may consist of not just state-owned enterprises, but some privately owned firms who are closely directed by state management.
What was the transition from command to market economy?
Transition from command to market economies. From the 1980s, many command economies, such as the Soviet Union began to make the transition to a mixed economy . This involved a process of privatisation and price deregulation. A mixed economy enables the benefits of both free market and some selected government intervention.
What is centralization in government?
Centralisation means that decisions are taken by people who may have no access to what is actually happening. Command economies, like the Soviet Union, often produced goods that weren’t used.
What was the Soviet Union's economic growth?
Between 1928–40 – the first three Five-Year Plans, the Soviet Union made rapid economic growth changing from a largely agrarian society to a major industrial nation. (This also occurred during a period of depressed world demand during the Great Depression.)
Who argued for the common ownership of the means of production?
It was Karl Marx, in the Communist manifesto who argued for ‘common ownership of the means of production.’. A command economy works in contrast to a free market economy. In a free market economy, goods and services are produced by private enterprise with distribution occurring according to market forces.
How does the command economy work?
The economic activity in the command economy works on the decision of the central authority. Here the government plays a crucial role in regulating, planning, and governing goods and services produced in the country. The government decides the nature, types, quantity, and prices of the goods and services to be produced/ supplied in the market.
What is command economy?
Command economy is a form of economic system where production levels and rates are determined centrally by the government instead of demand-based production as like in case of market driven economy.
What are the advantages of command economy?
Some of the advantages are given below: Low Unemployment Levels: Government set wages and allot jobs in the command economy to help in the reduction of the unemployment rate and the wages are distributed equally among people. Less Inequality: Since the government has the authority of controlling production in the economy, ...
What is the role of the government in the economy?
The government controls the pricing mechanism and regulates the price of goods and services. The government takes all the decisions related to the finances of the country such as wages to workers , assigning jobs to people.
What are the limitations of the economy?
Limitations. Some of the limitations are given below: Unequal Demand and Supply: The economy does not work on the basis of the scarcity of products. There are set rules of the production of a commodity. Goods produced does not match demands with supply and this leads to rationing by the citizens.
How are goods and services determined?
The goods and services are determined on the basis of consumer preferences and resource scarcity. Whereas, in the case of a command economy, demand does not derives the quantity of goods/ services to be manufactured, supplied but is decided by the ruling government. This economy is supply driven. All state owned as well as private players are ...
What are the resources that are distributed in the economy?
Labour, capital, natural resources, etc. are all distributed in the economy by the government as it deems efficient. The automotive industries, finance, and equity industries and businesses are monopolized and owned by the state authorities. All the policies relate to the economic plan are created by the government.
What is command economy?
Command economy is a system where the government takes the decision regarding goods production, process, quantity, and price in a country. In this system, the government also manages even income and investments. A Communist nation like the former Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea work according to this system.
What are the advantages of a command economy?
Mobilization of Resources: In a mixed economy since the government has all control, they can make quick decisions regarding the utilization of resources, start big projects, make changes to achieve economic and social goals.
How does centralized control affect the economy?
This works with centralized control on the economy, which does not allow important factors like demand and supply to make decisions on Production, Process, Quantity, and Price of goods and services produced in a country. It also discourages competition and innovation, which are important aspects of today’s world economy.
What is complete control to government?
Complete Control to Government: In this economy Government takes all decisions and people have to follow these decisions. In this process, many times requirements, the capacity of the system is ignored and people are forced to act on it.
What is the only authority in making important decisions in such an economy?
Even if there is the existence of the private sector, all companies have to follow rules and regulations set by the government and cannot act on free will.
What is the role of the government in a country?
As per the situation, the government creates a plan on production, process, price , and quantity of goods and services to be produced in a country. For e.g. Food, Clothing, and Shelter for all can be set as a national priority for the government and they can create a plan and allocate necessary resources to work on that goal.
What is the market in a free economy?
Explanation. In a free economy, the market makes a decision on goods and services in demand and arrange supply, production process, and price of goods and services. Such a market generally operates as per customer choice and factors like demand and supply, price of the product, and services generally depend on demand and supply available in ...

What Is A Command Economy?
Understanding Command Economy
- Cuba, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union all have command economies. China maintained a command economy until 1978 when it began its transition to a mixed economy that blends communist and capitalist elements. Its current system has been described as a socialist market economy.1 The command economy, also known as a planned economy, requires that a nation's …
Arguments in Favor of Command Economies
- Proponents of command economies argue that they allocate resources to maximize social welfare, unlike in free-market economies, where this goal is secondary to maximizing private profit. Command economies may have better control of employment levels than free-market economies. They can create jobs to put people to work when necessary, even in the absence of …