> socialism could solve the problem of allocation of resources by throwing enough smart people at the problem
As I interpret the calculation problem, the unfortunate reality is that this isn't a case where you just have some complicated math problems that you could throw enough geniuses and computers at and could somehow come pretty close to solving. The problem according to this idea is that without market pricing, there's no basis for comparison even theoretically possible. In light of many competing societal needs, you have no clue if you're directing too many resources to produce orange juice or not directing enough resources to build tools. Resources are misallocated in a complex world and everything eventually grinds down.
I believe that one strategy the Soviet system tried in part to deal with the calculation problem was actually acquiring shopping catalogues from the West to try and use their market pricing as a calculation system.
One thing I think that Star Trek gets right is that socialism might work to produce a near-utopia if you have technology that produces near infinite matter and energy for close to free.
As I interpret the calculation problem, the unfortunate reality is that this isn't a case where you just have some complicated math problems that you could throw enough geniuses and computers at and could somehow come pretty close to solving. The problem according to this idea is that without market pricing, there's no basis for comparison even theoretically possible. In light of many competing societal needs, you have no clue if you're directing too many resources to produce orange juice or not directing enough resources to build tools. Resources are misallocated in a complex world and everything eventually grinds down.
I believe that one strategy the Soviet system tried in part to deal with the calculation problem was actually acquiring shopping catalogues from the West to try and use their market pricing as a calculation system.
One thing I think that Star Trek gets right is that socialism might work to produce a near-utopia if you have technology that produces near infinite matter and energy for close to free.