Applied marxism in soviet Russia

It is argued that Soviet economic policy from 1921 to the present time has been shaped princlipally with the deliberate purpose of providing an environment such as would foster collectivistic habits of thought and behavior in replacement of their in dividualistic counterparts. The common interpretations of the policy as either (a) pure opportunism, or (b) mere industrialization (advancement of well-being), or (c) Implementation of a socialistice state (strengthening of Soviet Russia vis-à-vis capitalistic national states), are not entirely rejected but are set forth as subordi nate to the major desideratum. The policy is derived from, and involves the consclous application of, the principles embodied in Marx's Theory of the Concentration of Capital and his Theory of Historical Materialism. The substantive part of the new environment is conceived as a mechanized (interdependent) technology embracing the entire economy of the country. This is relied upon to proletarianize the whole popu lation. The technology is being supplied by (a) a vigorous development of the heavy, capital-goods-producing industries, and (b) the mechanization of agriculture. The steady aim is to inculcate and stimulate a group-regarding bias in the common sense of the community at large.