The Bitter Taste of Central Planning: Cuba Runs Out of Sugar

It's undeniably one of economist Milton Friedman's most famous sayings about the failures of central planning: "If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there'd be a shortage of sand."

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Central planning is the core of left-wing economics - it’s where the government tosses out market forces and replaces them with top-down control.

However, we have seen the closest thing to Friedman's vision coming true: In Cuba, an island practically made of sugarcane, the communist government now needs to import sugar. It's bad enough that, according to CiberCuba — an expatriate-run outlet which is critical of the government — a pound of sugar now costs 600 pesos on the island, or about $25 USD.

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Want to hear something similar in America? Here's a urine test that cost $18,000.

The outrageous prices for both the pound of sugar and the urine test are both caused by left wing economics - replacing market mechanisms with top down control. The political left's irrational, (and downright stupid) hatred of the market has been making people miserable for over hundred years now, but unfortunately there's no end in sight.

aociswundumho said:

MSN

Central planning is the core of left-wing economics - it’s where the government tosses out market forces and replaces them with top-down control.



Want to hear something similar in America? Here's a urine test that cost $18,000.

The outrageous prices for both the pound of sugar and the urine test are both caused by left wing economics - replacing market mechanisms with top down control. The political left's irrational, (and downright stupid) hatred of the market has been making people miserable for over hundred years now, but unfortunately there's no end in sight.

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The results of decades of American state sponsored terrorism against Cuba, actually.

aociswundumho said:

MSN

Central planning is the core of left-wing economics - it’s where the government tosses out market forces and replaces them with top-down control.



Want to hear something similar in America? Here's a urine test that cost $18,000.

The outrageous prices for both the pound of sugar and the urine test are both caused by left wing economics - replacing market mechanisms with top down control. The political left's irrational, (and downright stupid) hatred of the market has been making people miserable for over hundred years now, but unfortunately there's no end in sight.

Click to expand...

Let us know when Sweden runs out of sugar. Cuba is a strawman.

aociswundumho said:

MSN

Central planning is the core of left-wing economics - it’s where the government tosses out market forces and replaces them with top-down control.

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Communism yes. but that only exists today in maybe North Korea and some relatively obscure nations like Cuba, but some are more dictatorship than traditional communism. Other than that, those awful 'librul' that make up so much of the world embrace lots of capitalism within their economies. I haven't heard of any stale shortages in any of those countries.

aociswundumho said:

Want to hear something similar in America? Here's a urine test that cost $18,000.

Click to expand...

Read your own article. That $18k cost is the result of out of control capitalism. Here in 'librul' New Zealand where I now live as an example, a urine test might vary between $20 and $100 depending on the tests requested. And the average cost of healthcare in their govt run system is almost only a third of the US cost, but the average level of services is as good, or maybe even better. That saves the average person about $10k per year compared to the US. If you want to knock left wing economics, defending the US healthcare system is the absolutely last hill you want to die on.

aociswundumho said:

The outrageous prices for both the pound of sugar and the urine test are both caused by left wing economics - replacing market mechanisms with top down control. The political left's irrational, (and downright stupid) hatred of the market has been making people miserable for over hundred years now, but unfortunately there's no end in sight.

Click to expand...

Until the United States drops the insane 60+ year epic fail embargo against Cuba, I wouldn't judge.

Just wait until the felon is done with us.

Ishm said:

Communism yes.

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No, central planning occurs in democracies as well. Trump's tariffs are a form of central planning.

Ishm said:

but that only exists today in maybe North Korea and some relatively obscure nations like Cuba, but some are more dictatorship than traditional communism. Other than that, those awful 'librul' that make up so much of the world embrace lots of capitalism within their economies. I haven't heard of any stale shortages in any of those countries.

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Shortages are indicated by sky-high prices. For example, the extremely high home and rent prices are because the supply of housing is being artificially restricted by state and local governments. When a local government prevents new housing from being built, it's a form of central planning. Zoning laws means politicians control what may be built and where. Or they may prevent new housing because of environmental bullshit. Or because nimbys want the government to prevent new housing. Regardless of the reason, it's the government making the decision and not market forces, which is the definition of central planning.

Ishm said:

Read your own article. That $18k cost is the result of out of control capitalism. Here in 'librul' New Zealand where I now live as an example, a urine test might vary between $20 and $100 depending on the tests requested.

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Isn't it safe to safe to say that out of that $18,000 dollars, about $17,500 is pure profit?

If that's true, why wouldn't another hospital offer the same test for, say, $16,000?

You do believe capitalists are greedy, so why wouldn't one jump at this incredibly high profit opportunity?