[darkerside]

This might start well, but what happens when the environment changes? Maybe that musicians music doesn't pan out, maybe we thought bread would be a more popular export so we have too many bakers. Are we going to jerk people around to follow the command economy, or are we going to simply get outcompeted by capitalism in the global market place?

[sethrin]

What exactly do you mean by "outcompeted" here?

[darkerside]

I mean, are we going to create suboptimal products and services, ceding economic growth to other nations.

[sethrin]

Most nations are not optimal, and cede all kinds of economic growth to other nations. Why is this a problem?

[darkerside]

It's not a problem until there are the equivalent of bread lines (relative difficulties in providing basic goods and services) or other countries get the equivalent of the iPhone (superior goods and services that are affordable for other countries' population but not ours). And yes, this is speaking from a patriotic/state-ist view point.