Features of Industrial Discourse in the USSR in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

For the analysis of development of the industry in the USSR the author uses the discourse theory which allows comprehensive definition of tendencies of development of the industry in the USSR in the second half of the 20th century. Such practice of use of the concept «discourse» is peculiar to «critical» approaches of philosophical, sociological and politological theories. In the article the author puts the task to track development and transformation of an industrial discourse in a historical retrospective, to define its role in development of statehood and economy of the USSR. In the article an attempt to find the reasons of crisis of an industrial discourse in the USSR is made. The author analyzes interaction of various actors and influence on an industrial discourse of the policy pursued by the state. It is noted that submission to his planned economy and also prioritization of military production over civil, lack of effective communication of science and production to the USSR, lagin scientific and technical progress became important feature of an industrial discourse in the USSR. The reasons of falling of labor productivity and quality of production made by the national industry are analyzed and also it is noted that attempts of reforming of the industry in the USSR weren›t crowned with success as were carried out within a command management system. In the article existence of crisis of labor morals, catastrophic decrease in the motivating and mobilization party of an industrial discourse and disappointment of the Soviet consumers in quality and the range of consumer goods is noted. The author summarized that in the twilight of the USSR the condition of an industrial discourse was extremely depressing, industrial discourse declared by the state wasn›t true. Possibilities of an industrial discourse have been seriously overestimated, there was no strategic planning for the long period.

Keywords

• industry
• discourse
• the ussr
• scientific and technological progress
• the working class
• labor productivity
• reorganization