• Economic system – way in which a nation uses its resources to satisfy its people ’ s needs and wants

 Government makes all economic decisions & owns most of the property
 Governmental planning groups determine such things as the prices of goods/services & the wages of workers
 This system has not been very successful & more and more countries are abandoning it

• Who decides what to produce?
– Government makes all economic decisions
• Who decides how to produce goods and services?
– Government decides how to make goods/services
• Who are the goods and services produced for?
– Whoever the government decides to give them to

 Countries with communist governments have
Command economies
 Examples: There are no truly pure command economic systems, but close countries are: North
Korea, former Soviet Union, Cuba
*Germany and Russia have moved away from having a Command economy since 1991. Now they have a
Mixed economy.

• Command economy – system in which the government controls the factors of production and makes all decisions about their use
– Government decides what to produce & how it will be distributed
– Government guides people into certain jobs
– Lack of incentive to work hard, few choices, limited efficiency or inventiveness
– North Korea & China (changing)

Critics of market economies claimed that capitalism was a form of “ class warfare.
” They claimed that capitalism/ market economies resulted in a few people ruling over the masses.
In order to end capitalism/ market economies critics claimed that a revolution was needed to redistribute goods equally. This revolution came to be known as communism and its economy was known as a command economy. In a command economy the government controls all aspects of the economy.

Karl Marx was the founder of the communist/ command economy ideology. He claimed that as long as there existed a business owning class oppression would continue.

• The government controls all aspects of the economy
• Private property is illegal
• Supply and demand are determined by the government, not by consumers and producers.
• Everyone is paid equally no matter what job they do.
• Industry and businesses are owned and controlled by the government, not private individuals.

• In the former Soviet Union the government killed small property owners and redistributed their land to workers.
• In Cuba all residents are given rations of foods. Instead of purchasing food in a market
Cubans go to government food supply centers.

Example of Command Economy-
Cuba ’ s Fidel Castro and Che Guevarra established a command economy by expelling Cuba ’ s small business and land owners.
Many of those who lost their business now live in Miami.

• Command economies are inefficient and reward unproductive workers. Critics claim that since workers are awarded the same amount of money for doing every job workers aren ’ t productive.
• Command economies result in shadow/ illegal markets.
Because the government controls the distribution of goods, rather than consumers and producers individuals begin to sell things illegally.
• Command economies cease to stay competitive in the world because competition and entrepreneurship is discouraged.

Examples of a Command Economy- In North Korea the former dictator Kim Il Sung controlled the economy with an iron hand and had statues of himself built to show his people who was in charge of the government and the economy.

Basic economic questions of what, how and for whom to produce are answered : by a central planning authority.

• Central authority is in command of the economy
• Capable of dramatic change in a short time
• Little uncertainty over choice of career, where to work, or losing job
• Many basic education, public health, and other public services available at little or no cost

• Does not meet wants and needs of consumers
• Lacks effective incentives to get people to work
• Requires large bureaucracy, which consumes resources
• New and different ideas discouraged, no room for individuality

Problems of a Centrally Planned Economy
Centrally planned economies face problems of poor-quality goods, shortages, and diminishing production.

Command Economy
In a command economy, all resources are collectively owned and directed by the government.
In a command economy, the government decides what and how much to produce.

In a command economy, the government answers the three basic economic questions:
1.
What?
A dictator or a central planning committee decides what products are needed.
2.
How?
Since the government owns all means of production in a command economy, it decides how goods and services will be produced.
3. For whom?
The government decides who will get what is produced in a command economy.

Command Economy
In a command economy, the government decides where to locate economic activities.

Command Economy
In a command economy, the government decides what prices to charge for goods, including agricultural goods and services.

Command Economy
In a command economy, economic decisions are often made to further the goals of the government.

Command Economy
In a command economy, production costs (how much it costs to make an item), are not reflected in the cost of the item.
For example, in a command economy it might cost $2.00 to produce a loaf of bread, but the price might be set at $1.00 in order to ensure that customers are able to afford adequate food.

Command Economy
In a command economy, the price might be set higher than the production costs.
For example, in a command economy it might cost $5,000.00 to produce a car, but the price might be set at $10,000.00 in order to ensure that only the wealthy can buy it.

• Command economy – system in which the government controls the factors of production and makes all decisions about their use
– Government decides what to produce & how it will be distributed
– Government guides people into certain jobs
– Lack of incentive to work hard, few choices, limited efficiency or inventiveness
– North Korea & China (changing)

• Command Economy
– (centrally planned economy) government makes economic decisions
• determines what to produce; how to produce; who gets products
• determines who is employed, work hours, pay scales
– Wants of individual consumers rarely considered
– Government owns means of production: resources and factories

Government Controls
• EXAMPLE: Socialism and Communism
– Karl Marx influenced some societies to adopt command economies
• socialism — government owns some of the factors of production
• communism — no private property; little political freedom
– Authoritarian system requires total obedience to government
• communism is authoritarian socialism

• A New View of Economics
– Marx lived during Industrial Revolution
– Argued factory owners used workers as resource
• exploited workers by keeping wages low to increase profits
• workers would rebel, establish classless society
– Wrote The Communist Manifesto (with
Friedrich Engels), Das Kapital

Government Controls
• Socialism and Communism
– Democratic socialism established under democratic political process
• government owns basic industries
• other industries private
• central planners make decisions for governmentowned industries
• central planners might control other sectors, such as health care

Command Economies Today
No pure command economies today
• modern telecommunication s bringing about change
– Some economies still have mostly command elements

Command Economies Today
• North Korea
– Communist North Korea used resources for military, not necessities
• built large army; nuclear weapons program
• In 1990s and early 2000s, millions died of hunger, malnutrition
• In 1990s, production decreased and economy shrank
• Since 2003, some market activity allowed

Command Economies Today
• Impact of Command Economies
– In theory, command systems fair to everyone;
In practice, many disadvantages
• central planners do not understand local conditions
• workers have little motivation to be productive or conserve resources
• artificially low prices lead to shortages
• people sacrificed to carry out centrally planned policies