The Gorbachev Economic Policy: Is the USSR turning away from Siberian Development?

Abstract

The possibility that Soviet policy towards the development of Siberia may be modified emerged soon after Mikhail Gorbachev assumed office as General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in March 1985. The basic principles that were to guide economic decisionmaking — intensification, scientific and technological progress, modernisation of existing plant and equipment, resource-saving policies — all pointed in the direction of greater attention to the developed western regions of the Soviet Union, where most of the population and economic potential are concentrated. With new policies still in the process of being formed, not all the evidence was in and it was too early to draw firm conclusions. More than three years later, it is still too early to be categorical, but the additional information that has become available does seem to point to a shift of emphasis from evermore ambitious development projects in the eastern regions to the need for more effective use of the industrial capacity that is already in place, predominantly in the European part of the USSR. In any event the issue appears to be provocative enough to deserve being raised, if only to stimulate an exchange of views on the future development of Siberia.