SOVIET INDUSTRIALIZATION DEBATE – CONFLICT BETWEEN PREOBRAZHENSKY AND BUKHARIN

Paper analyzes Soviet industrialization debate, especially the conflict between its two protagonists – Preobrazhensky and Bukharin. Period of the Soviet debate 1922/23-1927/28, was the most dynamic and the most creative period of Soviet economic thought, but also full of controversy. His ending was a crucial moment in strengthening the process that would later develop into Stalinism. The struggle of political and economic ideas between the theoretical-ideological currents of the Bolshevik Party, personified in the figures of the two main party economists, is all the more significant. The basic thesis of the paper is that the victory of Bukharin’s economic views in the final instance led to the abolition of the new economic policy and to the violent collectivization, that is,it led to the rupture of the Workers ‘and Peasants’ Union, although this was not Bukharin’s intention nor the goal of his policy. Parallel with that, the defeat of Preobrazhensky marked the victory of the theory of socialism in one country. In this sense, mentioned facts provide a somewhat different explanation for the historical roles of both Bukharin and Preobrazhensky than those often attributed to them.