'The Soviet economy is proof that, contrary to what many skeptics had earlier believed, a socialist command economy can function and even thrive.'
Paul Samuelson died this week. Samuelson was the first American economists to win the Nobel Prize in 1970, and was one of the most influential proponents of Keynsian economics. His introduction to the field sold millions of copies and was used to train a generation of economists.
Samuelson was a big fan of government management of monetary affairs (printing money, setting interest rates), and so it is no surprise that the list of economists that saw him as their mentor includes contemporary "superstars" such as Ben Bernanke and Larry Summers.
The above quote is taken from the 13th edition of Samuelson's introduction to economics, published in 1989. A few months later, the Soviet Union collapsed.
Samuelson lived with the times and his error is excusable. The real question is why, twenty years later, contemporary economists still preach soviet-style policies. May Samuelson rest in peace. Communism, for now, is still alive and well.
wow its amazing he actually said that. you're really lucky if you even get some of it right i guess.