ABSTRACT
V. I. Lenin, assumed that with the development of socialism more and more services would be provided without charge until eventually money disappeared altogether. What Lenin called social consumption provides the theoretical basis for the Soviet welfare state. Most of the goods and services provided to the population come from the government. In Lenin's vision of the future, as society moves toward the higher phase of development the range of social services should increase. The development of a system of universal education has been one of the most significant social achievements of the Soviet regime. Government policy aims at more equal educational opportunity and at reducing the pressure on higher education. Since the state is paying for education, health care, and other benefits, the planners know how much funding will be available and approximately what the demand will be for these services.
