e
sector for domestic consumption and expenses incurred in providing
private services. Therefore, these expenditures take a high share of the
total expenditures of peasants and workers.

Despite expanding consumption, neither the government nor the population
is satisfied with the supply and quality of the goods and services
available. Some items, such as meat, housewares, furniture, building
materials, and various kinds of clothing and knitwear, are in chronic
short supply. Other items, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy
products, are subject to periodic shortages. In addition, the quality
and selection of many goods do not meet the desired levels. An official
document published in 1972 decried the common practice of producing
high-quality goods for export and lower quality goods for the domestic
market. The same document also called for changing export priorities so
that the domestic needs could be met before scarce goods were exported.

Another factor limiting the satisfaction of demands for goods and
services has been the small size and inefficiency of the domestic trade
network and of the service industry. Retail outlets are state owned and
have received very low priority in the allocation of funds. As a result,
they are too few in number and are seriously understaffed, making
shopping a time-consuming and frustrating activity. Stores are reluctant
to stock new styles in response to consumer demands until their old
stocks have been almost completely depleted. High-quality and specialty
items are usually available only from private craftsmen at very high
prices.

Private craftsmen and artisans provide virtually the only service
network in the country. The service sector of the economy has been
considered as nonessential and therefore has been neglected by the state
(see ch. 12). In order to fill the gap thus created, the government
started in the mid-1960s to encourage private individuals to provide
the needed services. Many of these people are regularly employed
artisans and craftsmen in industry who provide specialized services
during their spare time. Others are pensioners or unemployed. Because
they are in great demand, they can set their own prices, and many are in
the highest income groups. The government has attempted to keep their
earnings under control through taxes and has restricted their activities
by other administrative measures, but it has made no effort to eliminate
their services.

In the re