). In centrally planned economies (e.g. Cuba), the degree of
public ownership is substantial (though never total) and the private sector usually
remains limited in size and influence. In contrast, in free market or capitalist economies,
ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange lies predominantly in
private hands, except for those areas of activity which the state (via the decisions of the
governing authorities) chooses to nationalise and, in some cases, monopolise. Government decisions on which assets the state should own (and/or acquire) is as