Guns and Rubles

For this book a distinguished team of economists and historiansR. W. Davies, Paul R. Gregory, Andrei Markevich, Mikhail Mukhin, Andrei Sokolov, and Mark Harrisonscoured formerly closed Soviet archives to discover how Stalin used rubles to make guns. Focusing on various aspects of the defense industry, a top-secret branch of the Soviet economy, the volumes contributors uncover new information on the inner workings of Stalins dictatorship, military and economic planning, and the industrial organization of the Soviet economy. Previously unknown details about Stalins command system come to light, as do fascinating insights into the relations between Soviet public and private interests. The authors show that defense was at the core of Stalins system of rule; single-minded management of the defense sector helped him keep his grip on power.