The Political Economy of Stalinism

The study delves into the Soviet administrative command system, revealing that its failures stemmed from the economic structure rather than leadership issues. It identifies critical factors such as inadequate planning, inconsistent supply chains, and the preferential treatment of local enterprises, all contributing to a persistent reform stalemate. Highlighting the principal-agent conflict between planners and producers, the analysis suggests that the inherent contradictions and flaws of the command system would inevitably re-emerge if attempted again, marking it as a significant yet flawed human experiment of the twentieth century.