ABSTRACT
In formulating and executing new economic policies two groups play crucial roles: the decision-makers (political masters in Weber's words) and the experts. The former are of special importance due to their position of power and the latter due to the specialized knowledge and skills they possess. For Soviet economists, examining economic reforms in East European socialist countries was another way to search for an efficient economic model while remaining within the socialist frame of reference. Byelorussian economists continued to adhere to the premise of the centralized Soviet political system as late as 1991, just months before the collapse of the Soviet Union. The main direction of Soviet economic discourse in the late 1980s can be defined by the axis "central planning authorities – individual enterprises". Central authorities were identified as the source of the inefficiency that stifles the initiative of individual enterprises, which legitimized the negative image of the former.
