6 ms·

This is extremely interesting. Is there a good book you recommend on this topic?

• krasin 4y ago
  One of the best minds of that epoch that worked on the problem was Leonid Kantorovich ([1]). From wikipedia: "He is regarded as the founder of linear programming. He was the winner of the Stalin Prize in 1949 and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1975." In that respect, any book about linear programming is a good start. The problem with the approach used back in the time was a slow feedback loop (5-10 years) and inability to adjust to externalities, including technology changes. That should be possible to improve with our modern tech, but I am not aware of any good contemporary books about it - if someone knows one, I would appreciate a reference myself. Edit: from the CIA file on Kantorovich ([2]): "In addition to his mathematical research, Kantorovich has been directly involved in developing improved designs for high-speed digital computers, an activity apparently motivated by the Soviet Union's need for improved computers in solving large economic planning problems" " 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kantorovich https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kantorovich 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kantorovich#/media/File:Espionage_den04_40.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kantorovich#/media/File...
• discarded1023 4y ago
  "Red Plenty" by Francis Spufford. Many pointers from Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=red+plenty https://www.google.com/search?q=red+plenty It's a fictionalised history of some Soviet economics. There's a chapter on Kantorovich (cf the sibling comment). It goes reasonably deep (not mathematically deep) and provides a lot of context. Great book from a great author. Don't be put off by the "Soviet" part -- it's very entertaining.
  • selimthegrim 4y ago
    The part in there about death rates is not mathematically sound.