Why did central control fail in communist ...

The same reason capitalism will eventually fall - greed and lust for power.

Lack of flexibility and refusal to engage the best minds for all problems of government and industry. A shoe factory must manufacture the style of shoe ordered from above. A manufacturing plant needs a specific part for its factory. The request must be sent to a higher authority for approval and funding. Capitalism may not be the best answer but it certainly allows people to advance and grow with the economy. Khruschev was once given an air tour of eastern United States. He turned to the guide and asked how come there are so many factories manufacturing used cars. It was unthinkable at the time for a Russian factory worker to own a car. That is the difference between a free and centralized controlled economy.

 Let's see, no choice in anything, fear of being arrested for liking even christmas, not even having the right to own anything....tonnes of reasons.

1. No Motivation to be the best at what you do:  everyone gets paid the same, and you don't own anything.  Why make the best or put in work for something you will never actually own.  Not even your house.  In short, that is just nuts.

2.  Political considerations overruled actual capital markets:  crazy political theories on wheat farming and shoe design created shortages, not to mention music had to be restrained, etc.  You want to wait in line for 3 size 15 shoes when you are a size 6, then go on the black market to trade the three you were allowed to buy for the one size you need?

3.  Why work for the central control system when they don't do anything for you, unless you mess up or disagree, then they take such a strong interest in you that they at least lock you up.

4.  If you were a satellite state of the soviet union, and tried to speak your language, it was banned.  Even from the schools.  So genocide was attempted.  So you have to talk your own native tongue in your own home town a new language they want to teach you.  Does that sound appealing to you?  Not to me.

5.  You only get one "choice".  Hey you like Coke, RC, Hires Root Beer,.  Forget it.  You only want Pepsi.  Hey, do you like Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Athiesm, or another spiritual choice.  Too Bad, you can choose only Athiesm.  And if you put up a christmas tree, prepared to have it taken down, and potentially enjoy being arrested.  They were free....to do as the central agency told them to do.

Citizens got sick of central control and communism.  They chose not to participate, and just walk away from it.  So after 1991, people were free.  Really free.  Think about that next time you want to put up a christmas tree, or any religious artifact in the comfort of your own home or rented apartment.

Thats the whole idea! "To fail" probably.  The system came in and changed the old system and left with no system.  Think about it...DID IT FAIL really??