Material Incentives for the Labor of Employees of Defense Enterprises of the Urals During the Great Patriotic War

Introduction. Motivation of workers to productive labor is an important component of the economic policy of any state. In modern conditions of escalating international tensions and economic instability, the study of the historical experience of the Great Patriotic War makes it possible to identify effective levers of military modernization. The historiographical analysis allowed us to conclude that the topic of material incentives for the labor of workers of defense enterprises of the Ural home front in the period 1941–1945 has not been the subject of a special study. Methods and materials. The source base of the work is represented by the documents of the central and regional archives of the Russian Federation, most of which were introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. Theoretical concepts of mobilization economy and labor motivation were used as methodological approaches. Analysis. In the article, in relation to the period of 1941–1945, the rewards for labor, carried out in cash and in kind, as well as ways of motivation of labor, based on restrictive measures of material order, are considered. The dynamics of changes in the system of measures of material incentives for labor of workers of industrial enterprises during the war towards the growth of the share of material incentives are shown. The study reveals the problems and shortcomings that took place in the implementation of the system of material incentives for shock labor at defense enterprises in the Urals. Results. It is concluded that material incentives were mainly aimed at supporting highly qualified employees of the main production shops at defense enterprises who exceeded the plan.