Cargo Cult Economics  I thought this article interesting - the
hypothesis that communist countries pursued a sort of cargo cult
economic policy.  Since they did not really understand economics
(and as communist countries have banned many of the most
important processes for economic growth), communist leaders
tried to emulate successful western nations by copying high-
profile bits of their economy.  For example, since Western
nations were prosperous and had early on built big steel
industries, communist leaders decided that building big steel
industries would make them prosperous.  It falls somewhat short
as a framework for explaining communist economies, but I do
think that this cargo cult mentality was an important part of
their thinking and even is a part of progressive thinking today.
 After all, if you willfully deny classical economic theory as
well as the power of individual action and private initiative,
you have to fill in the blanks somehow.  High speed rail and
mass transit strike me as classic mode