The Politics of Economic Modernization in the Soviet Union

The Soviet economic system has changed considerably since Stalin's time under the impact of the scientific-technological revolution, but the changes have not been unilinear or without debate within the leadership and the bureaucracy. Using Soviet sources, the authors describe-oversimplifying, perhaps, but not thereby vitiating the validity of their points-the continuing controversy between the "modernizers," who favor increased involvement in the world economy, and the "conservatives," who stress military power and autarky within the Soviet bloc.