SCIENCE IN SHOCK: RUSSIAN SCIENCE POLICY IN TRANSITION

In: The Pacific review, Band 47, Heft 2, S. 281-303

Abstract

THE DILEMMA OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY ILLUSTRATES THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEMS FACING PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN'S GOVERNMENT IN 1991-92 AS IT SOUGHT TO REPLACE THE ADMINISTRATIVE-COMMAND SYSTEM BY MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARDS A MARKET ECONOMY. THE CHALLENGING NATURE OF THESE PROBLEMS WAS REFLECTED IN "A DRAFT CONCEPTION OF A SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY FOR THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION" FORMULATED BY A TEAM HEADED BY ANATOLII RAKITOV AND BORIS SALTYKOV. THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN APRIL 1992, EMPHASIZED THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM INHERITED FROM THE SOVIET UNION IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRANSITION TO A MARKET ECONOMY. HOWEVER, THIS INHERITANCE WAS GEARED TO MEETING THE PRIORITIES OF THE SOVIET SYSTEM, WHICH THE YELTSIN GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO REPLACING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE KEY CHALLENGE LAY IN REDIRECTING THIS LEGACY TO ADDRESS NEW PRIORITIES WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING SOME OF ITS MOST VALUABLE ASSETS.