Novosibirsk Report
Encyclopedia
The Novosibirsk Report, which many scholars consider one of the first signs of perestroika
, was the name given in the West
to a classified paper ("for internal use only") prepared under the direction of Tatyana Zaslavskaya
of the Novosibirsk Institute of Economics which addressed the crisis in the agriculture of the Soviet Union
. It was the theme of a closed conference in Novosibirsk
in April 1983 and leaked to the Washington Post which published it in August.
Although expressed in terms of Marxist theory, this paper, an outline of a proposed research project to study the social mechanisms of economic development as exemplifed in Siberia
n agriculture, was sharply critical of current conditions.
The conference was organized by the Sociology Department of the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Soviet Academy of Sciences to discuss the report prepared under the direction of Zaslavskaya that considered lagging of "production relations" (производственные отношения) with respect to "production forces" (производительные силы) in the country.
Mikhail Gorbachev
discussed this report within the higher echelons of the Soviet Communist Party
, and it is believed that this report was the basis of Gorbachev's criticism of "administrative methods" in the economic management at the 27th Party Congress
, which initiated perestroika
.
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
, was the name given in the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
to a classified paper ("for internal use only") prepared under the direction of Tatyana Zaslavskaya
Tatyana Zaslavskaya
Tatyana Zaslavskaya is a Russian economic sociologist, a theoretician of perestroika, an author and co-author of several books on economy of the Soviet Union and in sociology of the countryside and a large number of research papers...
of the Novosibirsk Institute of Economics which addressed the crisis in the agriculture of the Soviet Union
Agriculture of the Soviet Union
Agriculture in the Soviet Union was organized into a system of state and collective farms, known as sovkhozes and kolkhozes, respectively. Organized on a large scale and relatively highly mechanized, the Soviet Union was one of the world's leading producers of cereals, although bad harvests ...
. It was the theme of a closed conference in Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
in April 1983 and leaked to the Washington Post which published it in August.
Although expressed in terms of Marxist theory, this paper, an outline of a proposed research project to study the social mechanisms of economic development as exemplifed in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n agriculture, was sharply critical of current conditions.
The conference was organized by the Sociology Department of the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Soviet Academy of Sciences to discuss the report prepared under the direction of Zaslavskaya that considered lagging of "production relations" (производственные отношения) with respect to "production forces" (производительные силы) in the country.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
discussed this report within the higher echelons of the Soviet Communist Party
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
, and it is believed that this report was the basis of Gorbachev's criticism of "administrative methods" in the economic management at the 27th Party Congress
Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the gathering of the delegates of the Communist Party and its predecessors. According the party statute, it was the supreme ruling body of the entire Communist Party....
, which initiated perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
.