ABSTRACT
Computerization is perhaps the most important aspect of Mikhail Gorbachev's modernization program. Computers confirm Lenin's fascination with the concept of mechanical slaves, which would free the new socialist man from the drudgery of work in a fully communist society. The USSR is one of only three countries with a full range of computer capabilities, from research and development to applications. By the time the Stalinist barriers were lifted in the mid1950s, the USSR was far behind the West in both research and application of computer technology. The standard practice has been to freeze production runs on computers and other equipment in an effort to achieve long-run efficiencies. In July 1986, a Soviet official reported that components for personal computers come from a total of 30 organizations. Despite Council for Economic Mutual Assistance expansion efforts, the Soviet computer equipment industry lags behind the country's requirements in this sector.
