Personnel mobilization in the "socialist economic system": nuclear project case

The general goal of the Soviet nuclear project was the creation of nuclear weapons and equipment the armed forces with them. This was considered “a matter of national concern” with an ultimate priority status over all other needs of the national economy. A decisive success in the implementation of the nuclear project was achieved in 1945-1953 owing to the maximum use of the mobilization potential of the “Stalinist” “command” economy. This required a “special adjustment' of its institutions. However, for the new nuclear industry to function properly it had to be filled with high quality and well motivated “human resources”. These tasks were addressed in parallel. The work teams of the nuclear industry facilities were re- r t.cruitment was organized in the form of mass scale mobilization campaigns which left the identified candidates no chances to avoid the “draft”. Labor motivation was based on a combination of moral incentives and material stimulation together with education and persuasion, as well as coercion and violence. Moreover, there were no restrictions either in encouraging the “well performers”, or in punishing the “delinquents”. When performing particularly important tasks, the collective respon- sibility of managers and leading specialists was practiced. At the construction of “nuclear facilities” the prisoners' labor was widely used. Severe administrative and repressive methods were applied for their motivation. However, there was something in common with all those involved in the nuclear project: they were all considered a production resource. This approach was aimed at solving the “nuclear problem” as soon as possible. This was its main specificity.