The socio-economic role of industrial cooperation in the Kurgan region during the 1950s

The research aim is to determine the socio-economic role of industrial cooperation in the Kurgan region during the 1950s. The paper examines the issue of its functioning in the last decade before liquidation, provides data on the role of cooperation in rural areas, highlights the advantages of working in an artel in comparison with collective farms. On the basis of archival sources, statistical collections, scientific works and memoirs of workers of regional artels, a comparison is made with state industry. According to the results of the study, it is concluded that industrial cooperation made a significant contribution to industry of the Kurgan region, especially to production of consumer goods. Over the past five years of its existence, the regional industrial cooperation has fully fulfilled the plans for gross production. At the same time, as in previous years, there was an acute shortage of qualified personnel, which was caused primarily by high staff turnover.