Mathematical economics in the USSR as an intellectual movement: Theory of optimal functioning socialist economy

Russian economic history in the period of 1960 – 1970 is marked with high dynamism and strong influence of economic approaches on policymaking. Initiated in 1965 Soviet reform of economic management and planning aimed at bringing market measures into Soviet command economy soon met a strong critics from a group of scientists developing a so called theory of ‘Optimal Functioning Socialist Economy’ (OFCE). Despite confrontations with the representatives of the official discourse and public acceptance on the inconsistencies of the main ideas of the movement it became very influential for the period of the 1970-1980s and soon decayed.

The presentation is summarizing key findings from a research project on historical, social and institutional aspects of the ‘collective biographies’ of the OFCE group members, forms of their social organization and position within the intellectual landscape of the period. The study is based on the analysis of series of interviews with economists representing different schools and camps as well as investigation of their common background characteristics. Special attention is paid to the influence of OFCE theory on other research schools, forms of economic knowledge and development of the country.