Antony Sutton's pioneering hypothesis posits Western technological aid as the most significant factor in Soviet economic development during the 1920s, making this series indispensable for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Western influence on Soviet economic history.
Sutton extensively evaluates the impact of foreign concessions and technical assistance on Soviet economic development. He discusses concessions to foreign equity capital for direct investment and technical assistance concessions for Western blueprints and technical data, consulting, designing, and management services. Sutton also explores lesser-known technology transfer mechanisms, including the immigration of skilled workers, secret contracts with Germany for military research, development, and production in the USSR, and purchases of breeding stock, hybrid seeds, and modern equipment.
This important series offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between Western technology and Soviet economic development, revealing how the Soviet Union leveraged resources from private foreign enterprises for modernization and economic growth without resorting to foreign private capital.
The book series meticulously studies the crucial role Western technology and technical expertise played in the Soviet Union's economic development between 1917 to 1968. Sutton's exhaustive research, leveraging authentic resources like the State Department Decimal File, German Foreign Ministry records, numerous company archives, and Soviet journals offers an unparalleled historical insight into Soviet economic growth.
In the first installment, covering 1917-1930, Sutton illustrates how the 1920s saw the large-scale infusion of Western technology and personnel into the Soviet economy. The research dispels common beliefs, demonstrating that key sectors like petroleum, transportation, and mining mainly relied on Western technological aid for Soviet recovery.
The second volume, spanning 1930-1945, reveals an extraordinary continuity of Western technology and skill transfer into the Soviet Union. Sutton presents compelling evidence, asserting the West as the primary source of Soviet technological advancements, except for a select few.
The series culminates with the third volume, encompassing 1945-1968, where Sutton emphasizes the continuous pivotal influence of Western technology and expertise on post-World War II Soviet economic growth.
Sutton extensively evaluates the impact of foreign concessions and technical assistance on Soviet economic development. He discusses concessions to foreign equity capital for direct investment and technical assistance concessions for Western blueprints and technical data, consulting, designing, and management services. Sutton also explores lesser-known technology transfer mechanisms, including the immigration of skilled workers, secret contracts with Germany for military research, development, and production in the USSR, and purchases of breeding stock, hybrid seeds, and modern equipment.
