The Formation of Sectoral Policy 1945–53

Abstract

Our second case study of the operation of the command economy in the post-war years concerns the sphere of sectoral policy; that is, the balance of growth between different sectors of the Soviet economy. Reasons of space and data comparability must confine us to industry. The non-industrial sectors like agriculture, construction and transport are only of relevance in so far as they affected the balance within industry between its heavy industrial and consumer goods branches. The most convenient indicator of the relative priority of heavy and light industry in the USSR is that provided by the balance between the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sectors.¹