4 ms·

> See Gosplan I’ve seen a lot of Gosplan computer center. We were borrowing “untouched” versions of software for Soviet bloc-produced IBM-compatible mainframes

> See Gosplan I’ve seen a lot of Gosplan computer center. We were borrowing “untouched” versions of software for Soviet bloc-produced IBM-compatible mainframes there. At the exit there was a KGB post, they were checking for a permission for every single bit of paper that was being carried out. But we were not carrying paper, we were carrying magnetic tapes, and our contact at GVC (“the main computing center of”) Gosplan was too lazy to go get a permission for them. So I tucked a magnetic tape behind my belt and buttoned up my coat. Not a single time I was stopped. GVC Gosplan had a full detailed data on the Soviet economy and I could have potentially carried any secret data away. But we were not carrying any secret data, we were carrying OS/360 21.8 and later on - VM/370 (do not remember the exact version for that, sorry). So, while Gosplan was planning and financing the production and distribution of the “adapted for socialism” version of OS/360 (re)named ОС ЕС - their own computing center (and everyone else who could have got it) were using the original OS/360. I wonder if any mathematical model can handle such a situation properly.

krasin 4y ago
Fascinating story! But yes - the mathematical beauty of a planned economy model is often negated by sheer incompetence and corruption of the planner.
- ilyt 4y ago
  Every system will have corruption so the only one that will actually work is one that is at least somewhat resistant to it
- MikePlacid 4y ago
  The problem goes a bit deeper than just competence vs incompetence of the planner. The planner is a person. A person looks at the mathematical recommendation - and sees that it is cruel: a project should be closed, a lot of people should be laid off. In capitalism, no cruel decision is yours completely: “market forced me to do it”. Brezhnev time Soviet leaders were probably less cruel than an ordinary American capitalist. So the effective economy was out of question. Also, to be cruel is not enough. You should have a political power to implement an effective solution. Political power is based on relationships. Suppose mathematics says: person A’s project should be reduced, person B’s project should be funded more. But: person A is your guy, and person B is of your rival’s camp. Will you follow the math? It’s probably a theorem: in a planned economy a recommendation that reduces the political power of a person that has the political power to implement it - will never be implemented…

krasin 4y ago

Fascinating story! But yes - the mathematical beauty of a planned economy model is often negated by sheer incompetence and corruption of the planner.

ilyt 4y ago
Every system will have corruption so the only one that will actually work is one that is at least somewhat resistant to it
MikePlacid 4y ago
The problem goes a bit deeper than just competence vs incompetence of the planner. The planner is a person. A person looks at the mathematical recommendation - and sees that it is cruel: a project should be closed, a lot of people should be laid off. In capitalism, no cruel decision is yours completely: “market forced me to do it”. Brezhnev time Soviet leaders were probably less cruel than an ordinary American capitalist. So the effective economy was out of question. Also, to be cruel is not enough. You should have a political power to implement an effective solution. Political power is based on relationships. Suppose mathematics says: person A’s project should be reduced, person B’s project should be funded more. But: person A is your guy, and person B is of your rival’s camp. Will you follow the math? It’s probably a theorem: in a planned economy a recommendation that reduces the political power of a person that has the political power to implement it - will never be implemented…