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Stalin by Bukharin

1878-1953

According to Stalin, in the USSR there are two economic laws – the law of value (in the sphere of popular consumption), and the law of planned development (in the sphere of production).

Things in the sphere of popular consumption present themselves as commodities, i.e. things that can be bought and sold. Things in the sphere of production are not commodities. Their production and distribution takes place according to a plan, and money is used only for accounting purposes, to make clear the relationships between the factories and the state.

The law of value has been formulated in the XVIII century England by Adam Smith and it states that the value of things is defined by the amount of labor necessary for their production. The law of planned development Stalin formulates thus: “providing maximum satisfaction for the constantly growing material and cultural needs of the entire society through constant growth and improvement of socialized production on the basis of high technology”.

In spite of the presence of two laws in the USSR, the law of value is subservient to the law of planned production. Hence, we formulate a hypothesis: the manner in which the main products and services in society are manufactured determines the main type of relations which form between people in the society. Thus, if the main things and services in the USSR are manufactured and provided outside the law of value, but according to the “law of planned development”, then the main relations among the people are not dictated by the law of value, but rather by other needs, not always selfless, but not monetary. 

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