--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 20th century, the Soviet Union…" description: "\"In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/vladimir-putin-261_20th-century_in-the-20th-century-the-soviet-union-mad_3212928.jpg" --- # In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's… ![“In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated.” quote by Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/vladimir-putin-261_20th-century_in-the-20th-century-the-soviet-union-mad_3212928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/vladimir-putin-261_20th-century_in-the-20th-century-the-soviet-union-mad_3212928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/vladimir-putin-261_20th-century_in-the-20th-century-the-soviet-union-mad_3212928.jpg) > “In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated.” [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Soviet Union’s extreme state control stifled competition, leading to economic decline and a costly lesson for future societies. **In simple terms:** Over‑centralized control harms economies. Key Takeaway Limit state power in markets. Themes economics politics history centralization competition Mood cautious analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - economic planning - educational curricula - political debate - international relations Key Concepts state control market dynamics historical lessons Questions to Reflect On - What balance of state and market works best? - Can central planning ever be efficient? A Different Perspective Some argue strong state direction can achieve rapid industrialization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) ## Related quotes > [As a result of half a century of Soviet rule people have been weaned from a belief in human kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alliluyeva/as-a-result-of-half-a-century-of-soviet-rule-people-have-been-weaned/) [Svetlana Alliluyeva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alliluyeva/) > [I understand fully that jobs are created by the private sector, having been all my life in the private sector, but I don't buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gabrieli/i-understand-fully-that-jobs-are-created-by-the-private-sector-having/) [Chris Gabrieli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gabrieli/) > [The Church's role should be separated from the state's role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-moore/the-church-s-role-should-be-separated-from-the-state-s-role/) [Roy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-moore/) > [If the press is to be free, the state has no role in regulating what is published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/if-the-press-is-to-be-free-the-state-has-no-role-in-regulating-what/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [Bush will keep up that policy that gives the United State the role of promoting freedom in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/bush-will-keep-up-that-policy-that-gives-the-united-state-the-role-of/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [During the 1930s, some of the leading intellectuals in America condemned our economic system and pointed to the centrally planned Soviet economy as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/during-the-1930s-some-of-the-leading-intellectuals-in-america/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The Communist bloc of old was a study in the failure of failure. 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Whoever wants it back has no brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/whoever-does-not-miss-the-soviet-union-has-no-heart-whoever-wants-it/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Anyhow, we obviously understand that, being a United States' ally and having a special relationship with it, the UK in its relations with Russian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/anyhow-we-obviously-understand-that-being-a-united-states-ally-and/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) [Explore all 793 Vladimir Putin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More 20th century quotes > [I think the inhabitants of the past are fighting hard to keep the rents they acquired in the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/i-think-the-inhabitants-of-the-past-are-fighting-hard-to-keep-the/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Corporate America is a 20th-century dinosaur, trembling on the edge of extinction, and the only way for you to have a genuinely secure future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/corporate-america-is-a-20th-century-dinosaur-trembling-on-the-edge-of/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free. 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