The Process of Normalization

Abstract

The results from the performance of the national economy last year will soon be released. Many indicators that are important for analysis will become known later. But even on the basis of the information that the USSR State Committee for Statistics has at its disposal, it can be concluded that in a number of the most important areas of increasing effectiveness, the positive trends that were observed in 1986 continued. The intensive target for conserving energy resources was met. Production costs dropped sharply in industry (0.7 percent in 1987 compared with the annual average of 0.3 percent during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan) and in construction (0.8 percent in 1987; 0.25 percent in 1981-85). An absolute release of manpower was registered for the first time in the productive branches. Industry alone released 140,000 persons. Labor productivity rose at a rapid rate in this branch. Product modernization accelerated sharply in machine building. But it was not possible to maintain the high growth rates of national income, industrial production, and agricultural production attained in 1986 (see table).