Well, Keynes was at work before the Russian revolution, and he had a fair bit to say on the subject, but that's not important. Modern economics developed in the late 19th century and so there were modern economist around for the Bolsheviks to consult after the October revolution. However, they didn't. Not that they necessarily would have gotten great advice, (the advice given to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union often didn't turn out that good in retrospect) but they certainly could have picked up some helpful ideas.

Old school communists thought that economists were a part of the 'system', and therefore had nothing useful to say. Only a radical reshaping of society could bring about the socialist paradise.

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"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire.
"All your bias are belong to us" Ara Pacis.

If you want to read a personal, account of how economics is used to address real world problems, I would recommend Jeffrey Sachs "The end of Poverty". It is not a perfect book by any means. He is a superstar economist, but not very modest about it.

Although it is supposed to be a book about how well-directed aid can make a real difference to ending poverty, in practice there is quite a lot about how Sachs has helped various governments get out of serious crises - hyperinflation in Bolivia, post-Soviet transition in Poland and Czechoslovakia. Also how when the same was not done in other places, eg Russia, all hell broke loose. That, in my view, is the most interesting and convincing bit of the book.

The rest of the book is about how foreign aid can be made effective in abolishing poverty. Of course ending poverty in our lifetime depends upon wishing out of existence kleptocratic governments in places that have poverty, who will stand in the way of any such initiative. Sachs (reluctantly) acknowledges this, but gives some rather dodgy data trying to suggest that the problem isn't as big as you think it is. Though trying to cite Nigeria as not kleptocratic as you think it is suggests a degree of naivity on his part. At the same time, he does make telling points about places where the aid is working, and much more of the same could be done, but for rich world governments breaking their promises all the time (he shows up USA as a particularly bad offender here). I would also criticise him for failing to discuss aid dependency, which is when people who get used to foreign aid and think it will always come.

In Stockholm:

December 10:

Winners invited to Nobel Banquet

http://nobelprize.org/nobelfoundatio...-events08.html

part quote:

...December 10

Nobel Prize Award Ceremony, Stockholm Concert Hall, 4:30 p.m.

Nobel Banquet, Stockholm City Hall, 7:00 p.m.

While in Oslo:

December 9
Press Conference with the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Henrik Ibsens Gate 51, Oslo, 1:00 p.m. Press accreditation required. Please contact the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, phone: +47 22 24 31 49.

December 10
Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony, including the Nobel Lecture, Oslo City Hall, 1:00 p.m.

Nobel Banquet at Grand Hôtel, Oslo, 7:00 p.m.

December 11
Nobel Peace Prize Concert, Oslo Spektrum, 8:00 p.m.

How jolly awfully nice!

edit:
Thanks awfully, everyone!

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clear skies

If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. CARL SAGAN

Mak: Pass the pepperoni please.
Fazor: "Hail, Bautainia! We pledge our hearts to thee! Science and woo, some babbling too, and astron-oh-meee!"
slang: And it made ash out of yew and tree.

and i found this, for those bautzens interested,
to while away the moments before tomorrow's events

Mr A Gore receiving his Peace Prize Medal and Diploma....last year....

http://nobelprize.org/mediaplayer/index.php?id=793

(apparently, it's 113 minutes footage...nice!)

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clear skies

If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. CARL SAGAN

Mak: Pass the pepperoni please.
Fazor: "Hail, Bautainia! We pledge our hearts to thee! Science and woo, some babbling too, and astron-oh-meee!"
slang: And it made ash out of yew and tree.

BBC News has a series of programmes on the Nobel winners. The World Debate was pretty good last year.

__________________
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire.
"All your bias are belong to us" Ara Pacis.