Fact Check: Was the Soviet Union state capitalist

Was the Soviet Union State Capitalist?

What We Know

The term "state capitalism" refers to an economic system where the state engages in business and commercial activities, owning the means of production and managing capital accumulation through centralized management and wage labor. According to Wikipedia's entry on state capitalism, this system can exist regardless of the political ideology of the state, which means that even a state that claims to be socialist can operate under state capitalism.

Several scholars and commentators have argued that the Soviet Union exemplified a state capitalist system. For instance, an analysis published on Libcom asserts that the Soviet Union was characterized by a class of wage laborers who lacked control over the means of production, while a bureaucratic class acted as a new ruling elite. This perspective is supported by the notion that the Soviet economy operated similarly to a large corporation, extracting surplus value from workers to reinvest in production.

Further, a paper from Carleton University discusses how Soviet-type economies, including the USSR, can be classified as state capitalist, suggesting that this classification extends beyond historical cases to modern economies like Russia today (Carleton University).

Analysis

The claim that the Soviet Union was state capitalist is supported by various sources, but the reliability of these sources varies. The analysis on Libcom is rooted in anarchist communist thought, which critiques traditional Marxist interpretations of the Soviet economy. This source is valuable for its critical perspective but may be biased due to its ideological stance.

Conversely, the Wikipedia article provides a more neutral overview of state capitalism and includes references to a wide range of scholarly opinions, making it a reliable starting point for understanding the concept. The Carleton University paper also presents a scholarly viewpoint that aligns with the state capitalist interpretation, offering historical context and contemporary relevance (Carleton University).

However, not all sources agree on the classification of the Soviet Union. For example, Marxists.org presents a counterargument, suggesting that the state ownership of production does not equate to capitalism, as it was established through a proletarian revolution. This highlights the complexity of the debate and the need for careful consideration of differing perspectives.

Tony Cliff's work, cited in a Springer publication (Springer), further supports the state capitalist view by arguing that the Soviet economy shares essential characteristics with orthodox capitalist economies, positioning it as a culmination of capitalist development rather than a deviation.

Conclusion

The evidence supports the claim that the Soviet Union operated as a state capitalist system. The state's control over the economy, the lack of worker control over production, and the bureaucratic elite's role in managing economic activities align with the definition of state capitalism. While there are dissenting views, the predominant scholarly consensus, as reflected in multiple sources, affirms that the Soviet Union exemplified state capitalism.

Verdict: True