• tal@lemmy.today
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    7 months ago

    https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000498114.pdf

    Soviet Computer Technology: Little Prospect for Catching Up

    We believe that there are many reasons why the Soviets trail the United States in computer technology:

    • The Soviets’ centrally-planned economy does not permit adequate flexibility to design or manufacturing changes frequently encountered in computer production; this situation has often resulted in a shortage of critical components — especially for new products.
    • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      If you’re only response to criticism of capitalism is ((communism)), you may just be a cog in the corporate propaganda machine.

        • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
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          7 months ago

          Marginally. The paper analyzes the capabilities as they existed in the 1980s, but doesn’t draw strong conclusions as to why that may be. It does demonstrate how reliance on central planning results in inadequaciea when said central planning is not operating well, though.

          The paper doesn’t really mention it but the central planning of the USSR was actively reeling from Brezhnev dying, Andropov dying, and Chernenko either dying or about to die at the time the CIA thing was written. So yeah, correct is an accurate if imprecise way to put it.

          • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Yeah it’s more a criticism of the ussr in the 80s. Central planning with more tech focus and more democracy would likely not face that specific issue.

            But also there’s room for shit like kanban communism which definitely wouldn’t have these problems