Which of the following best describes a central feature of the Soviet command economy?

• A. The market determines most prices and allocation
• B. Consumers control production priorities
• C. A group of planners makes all economic decisions and allocates resources
• D. Decentralized decision-making by private owners

Answer: (C)

Central planning by state-appointed planners is the defining feature of the Soviet command economy. In this system, a centralized planning body decides what will be produced, in what quantities, and how resources—labor, capital, and raw materials—will be allocated across sectors. The state owns the means of production and sets production targets through plans, rather than letting markets determine prices and outputs. Consumers have little influence over what gets produced, because decisions are driven by planned goals rather than by consumer demand. The other options describe market-driven dynamics, consumer sovereignty, or private ownership with decentralized control, which do not characterize how the Soviet economy operated.