The Oil Drum

They did - as I remember reading about its history (when it was discontinued after some 40 or 50 years of production), it was intended primarily as a serviceable vehicle for farmers (bringing things to market, for example), other rural people,  and tradespeople - apparently, more like a Model T in all round usefulness than a VW Volkswagen, in the sense of being a vehicle to drive on the new autobahns. Certainly, a step up from a horse cart. There are a number of reasons why motor vehicles are omnipresent in our lives. The history of the Model T is quite interesting that way, actually - introducing such a piece of machinery led to all sorts of changes in rural life, most of which were definitely considered an improvement by all concerned parties. And if we had stuck to that sort of philosophy, of a useful, rugged, easily repaired piece of machinery, made by people paid a decent wage, which could be used to power equipment or transport people or things over a landscape of rutted dirt roads, we wouldn't have much to discuss today about peak oil.

My reference to tanks was in regards to various socialist countries, in general.