The Kosygin Reforms: a “Window of Opportunity” for the Soviet Scientific and Technological Breakthrough?

Abstract

The Kosygin economic reform of 1965, named so as commemoration of the role of the head of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, came to the attention of researchers primarily from the perspective of economic effects on the development of the USSR. At the same time, the role of the Academy of Sciences, the issues of tactics and strategy of the development of the country’s scientific and technological potential mostly remained out of sight of the historical mainstream. The new evidences presented in the article demonstrate the level of academic science’s involvement in discussion of long-term development projects. As the authors show, it was during this period that the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was systematically involved in the development of economic strategies. The discussions of representatives of Gosplan, GKNT and the Academy of Sciences analyzed on the pages of the publication demonstrate the clash of “accounting” and “exploratory” approaches to science. The issues raised in 1960s are still relevant today — about spending on science and general effectiveness of investments in scientific research.