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The Problem of Reform

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The Destruction of the Soviet Union

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Abstract

After Stalin’s death, and the tail-end of post-war reconstruction, the further development of Soviet productive forces necessitated a restructuring of the economy. The development of the productive forces on a global scale now meant that if the Soviet Union were to maintain its competitive position and satisfy increasing consumer demands, it had to move in the direction of technological flexibility — which, in turn, meant encouraging innovation and initiative at the lower levels. Yet the nature and structure of the statist economic mechanism militated against this.

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Notes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Flinders University of South Australia, Australia

    David Lockwood (Lecturer in History)

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© 2000 David Lockwood

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Lockwood, D. (2000). The Problem of Reform. In: The Destruction of the Soviet Union. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780333981566_6

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