There have been plenty of dictators that have been able to be ruthless efficient with their suppression of their people that had nothing akin to free markets (R

There have been plenty of dictators that have been able to be ruthless efficient with their suppression of their people that had nothing akin to free markets (Russian tsars, Genghis Khan, certain dynasties in Japan, etc) An effective government isn't evidence of anything. You forget that the most productive economy the US has ever had was during WW2. When the government basically took complete control over almost every aspect of production to make sure everything went to the war effort. Does it work? Yes. Does it mean it's a "good economy"? I don't think I'd wanna live in such an economy personally