STATE STATISTICS OF THE USSR IN 1930–1950–XX YEARS
Authors:   Central Russian Institute of Management, Branch of RANEPA, FEDOTOV S.P. , NEKHAEVA D.V. ,   Central Russian Institute of Management, Branch of RANEPA
Published: December 2024

The purpose of the study is related to the definition of the peculiarities of functioning of state statistical agencies in the USSR during the period 1930-1950-th. At that time in the USSR the planned system was established in the economy. At the turn of 1920-1930-th there began the implementation of collectivization in agriculture. Then the process of industrialization began in the sphere of industry. Bodies of state statistics at that time were reorganized. In the early 1930s, the statistical authorities came under the department of Gosplan of the USSR and became a part of the system of planned economy.
As a result of the use of archival data, the features of the functioning of state statistical bodies in the USSR in the conditions of a planned economy during the 1930s and 1950s were determined. Statistical agencies, regardless of the reorganized names, performed an important function of providing the government of the USSR with the necessary data on the state of the population and economy. In this regard, it is important to determine the results of the work of statistical agencies in the context of major transformations in the USSR, during the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period.
During the preparation of the materials of the article, the historical and genetic method was used in determining the object and subject of the study. The source method was used to work with the basis of available sources and literature on the topic of the study. The historical-comparative method was used in carrying out the comparative functionality of statistical bodies in previous eras. When working with Internet resources and online databases of sources, methods of historical informatics were applied.
The conducted research allowed to reveal how the process of change in the organization of the work of statistical agencies in the conditions of the formation of a new economic system in the USSR took place. It was noted that in the period specified in the article the interaction of statistical authorities and Gosplan of the USSR was important. Such interaction had a negative impact on the quality of realization of some statistical activities. However, statistical bodies fulfilled their mission in the conditions of planning the development of economy of the USSR.
On the basis of the research it is possible in the future to work on the peculiarities of functioning of statistical bodies in the era of the first five-year plan. It is possible in the future to carry out work on definition of functions and results of job of statistical bodies in the period of restoration of the destroyed economy of the USSR after the Great Patriotic War.
As a result of the research it was determined that the functions and organization of the work of state statistics in the USSR in the period of 1930-1950th were formed in the conditions of command-planned economy. The statistical bodies were entrusted with the functions of providing the necessary data to the government for the implementation of major projects - collectivization and industrialization. Belonging of statistics to the Gosplan of the USSR had a negative impact on the quality of some statistical works. However, in general statisticians fulfilled the job entrusted to them in the period specified in the article.