Academy of Sciences and New Approaches to Economic Planning in the USSR (late 1950s – early 1960s)

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In the article the author considers the emergence of new approaches to the planning of the national economy of the USSR in the second half of 1950-s – early 1960-s as a result of departmental struggle between the USSR Gosplan and academic economic institutes for influence on the economic policy of the country. Despite the abundance of historical works covering the planning debates of the 1920s, this subject is poorly covered in historiography in relation to the post-war period. The methodological basis of the article is Michel Kallon’s “sociology of translation”, according to which experts translate the problems of key clients into their language in such a way that their scientific programme and themselves are at the centre of the proposed solution to these problems. The author examines the process of weakening the role of the USSR Gosplan and the emergence of alternative centres of competence on economic policy issues. In accordance with the chosen approach, the rhetorical moves and political techniques that were used by major economists to promote new research directions (economic and mathematical methods, evaluation of capital investment efficiency, etc.) are highlighted. These political techniques were: inserting key words into party programme documents and/or speeches of the party leader; formation of broad coalitions; use of administrative resources of the Academy of Sciences; publishing and educational activities; repelling attempts of the Gosplan to fit into the new agenda, criticism of its staff as incapable of implementing the proposed ideas.