III. The Soviet Rationale for Expanded Foreign Economic 



Relations 



The Ninth Five- Year Plan Directives discussed at the Twenty- 

 Fourth Soviet Party Congress in March-April 1971 called for many 

 advances in technology. Technological change was projected to mod- 

 ernize the Soviet civilian economy, improve the quality of consumers' 

 real income, and raise the efficiency of economic planning and man- 

 agement. Meeting the targets in each of these areas required tech- 

 nological assistance from abroad, including the United States. This 

 reordering of priorities underlies Soviet interest in increased com- 

 mercial relations with the United States. 



The Soviet leadership's emphasis on technological change in the 

 Soviet economy reflects a growing concern that Soviet technology lags 

 considerably behind that in the industrial West. While there are no 

 precise measures of technology levels, there is much evidence that a 

 technology gap between the Soviet Union and the West does exist. 

 Michael Boretsky, for example, examined a number of key techno- 

 logical innovations in the Soviet economy and concluded that the 

 overall level of Soviet technology in 1962 lagged behind that in the 

 United States by some 25 years. 21 The existence of a technology gap 

 has been confirmed by many others, including Soviet observers. 

 Premier Alexei Kosygin asserted in 1965 : "The pattern of production 

 of machinery and equipment being turned out by the many branches 

 [of Soviet industry] does not conform to modern standards." 22 Three 

 Soviet scientists who have been critical of the leadership's policies 

 described the technology gap in more detail : 



When we compare our economy with that of the United States, we see that 

 ours is lagging behind, not only quantitatively, but — and this is the saddest 

 part — also qualitatively. The more novel and revolutionary the aspect of the 

 economy, the wider becomes the gap . . . We are ahead of the U.S. in the 

 production of coal, but behind in the production of oil, gas, and electric power, 

 ten times behind in chemistry, and immeasurably behind in computer 

 technology .... 



In the late 1950's, our country was the first to launch a sputnik and to send 

 a man into space. By the end of the 1960's, we have lost the lead in this field 

 (as in many others). The first men to set foot on the moon were Americans. 

 This is one of the outward signs of an essential and ever-growing gap between 

 our country and the West extending through the whole spectrum of scientific 

 technological activity. 23 



21 Michael Boretsky, "Comparative Progress in Technology, Productivity, and Economic 

 Efficiency: U.S.S.R. Versus U.S.A.," in U.S. Congress. Joint Economic Committee. New 

 Directions in the Soviet Economy. Part II-A. Economic Performance. 89th Cong., 2d sees. 

 Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Office, 1966, p. 149. 



23 Alexei Kosygin, "On Improving Management of Industry, Perfecting Planning and 

 Enhancing Economic Incentives in Industrial Production," in New Methods of Economic 

 Management in the USSR. Moscow, Novosti Press Agency Publishing House, 1965, p. 19. 



-"• "Appeal of Scientists A. D. Snkharov. V. F. Turchin and R. A. Medvedev to Soviet 

 Party and Government Leaders," March 19, 1970. Translated in Survey, Summer, 1970, 

 pp. 160-170. 



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