The paper analyzes the situation in the agricultural sector of the regional economy on the eve of Perestroika. Based on the study of archival materials, the author reaches the conclusion that serious contradictions developed in the agricultural branch of the USSR economy in the 1970s and in the first half of the 1980s. These contradictions were of conceptual (at the level of formation of social institutes), system (related to the limitations of the model of linear economy growth) and technological nature. The completion of the depeasantization process had the effect of disruption of social ties and the appropriate attitude to work. The second level of contradictions was caused by the formation of a linear model of the economy focused on extensive growth. The technological level of contradictions was the result of interaction of two main reasons: lack of understanding of conceptual issues by the leadership and problems of logistics. There were serious shortcomings already at the stage of development of agrarian policy - to suit the ideology. The Soviet leadership tried to minimize the negative impact of these shortcomings by half-hearted palliative reforms (primarily by pumping investments into the agrarian sector), deliberately allowing the use of market mechanisms (development of smallholders), which only increased the degradation of agriculture.
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