Intellectuals everywhere take for granted that free enterprise capitalism and a free market are devices for exploiting the masses, while central economic planning is the wave of the future that will set their countries on the road to rapid economic progress. The facts support the hypothesis that centrally planned economies are the best way for poor countries to create rapid economic progess. Historically, whenever there have been large elements of individual freedom creating improvement in the material condition of ordinary citizens and there has been hope for further progess, economic activity has been guided by intellectuals serving as goverment beauracrats organizing economic activity through regulation and central control. None of the above. The contrast between Indians residing outside India and Indians living in India supports the superiority of a centrally controlled economy in producing material prosperity. The contrast between East and West Germany is an example which supports the superiority of a centrally controlled economy in producing material prosperity.