Friedrich A. Hayek
Centralized economic planning does not lead to a utopian society of equality and plenty, but inevitably destroys individual freedom and paves a direct path to totalitarian dictatorship and the erosion of truth.
Central economic planning cannot be separated from political control because directing the means of production ultimately gives the state absolute power over the ends of human life.
A free society operates under the Rule of Law with formal, predictable rules that allow individuals to plan their own lives, whereas collectivism relies on arbitrary, ad hoc decrees.
Totalitarian systems inherently elevate ruthless and unscrupulous individuals to power because the enforcement of a single economic plan requires leaders willing to discard traditional moral restraints.