Or we might want to see the economy managed so that its benefits are shared as widely as possible, though some might say that has little to do with the real purpose of the economy - but try telling that to those who feel left behind.
Should the goal be an economy that boosts our wellbeing, rather than boosts Gross Domestic Product? We might register, in that context, Sir David Attenborough's commendation of our current government, and of Jacinda Ardern, in particular, for their introduction of a budgetary process focused on wellbeing.
Is a well-managed economy one that enables us, as a country, to pay our way in the world? If so, we might worry about our perennial trade deficit and how much we owe to overseas lenders.
Or should we focus instead on the amount of indebtedness that we all, as individuals, take on? In which case, we might be anxious about the volume of money that the banks create out of nothing and then lend on mortgage.
Or do we take the view that "managing the economy" means that the really important questions, such as deciding how much money there should be in circulation, should be handed over to the banks to decide in their own interests?
How the economy should be managed, in other words, depends on what we think the economy is for - on which subject, opinions will vary widely, and will usually reflect the political views of those making the judgement.
We should certainly stop imagining that "managing the economy" is a simple concept, and easily measured, rather as though we were totting up a golf score. We can all be reasonably satisfied that Tiger Woods is good at golf because we can count the number of strokes he takes.
But the economy is more complicated - and to ask how and by whom it is best managed is to invite a whole range of political, social and ethical concepts to be brought to bear. It might be better to ask, "what is an economy for" and to judge those claiming to be good managers of it according to the answers they give to that question.
And we should probably be suspicious of those who claim to have all the answers to a question that is undoubtedly more complicated than they seem to realise.
Nor should we forget that the important people in an economy are not the government, but us. It is, after all, our economy; we should ensure that we have a proper say in how it is run and for whose benefit, rather than leave those questions to politicians with their own axes to grind.