The Shift in Soviet National Priorities to Military Forces,1958-85

Abstract

This article traces the shift in Soviet national economic priorities from civilian uses, primarily consumption, to support of the Soviet military establishment since the late 1950s. It treats certain methodological issues involved in international comparisons, outlines the methodology used to estimate Soviet defense expenditures from published Soviet economic data, and compares the results with the CIA's estimates before and after the CIA was forced to double its estimates by new information which confirmed my estimates. A brief list of some of the major weapons systems whose development, procurement, and operations have driven the shift in Soviet national priorities from civilian to military uses is provided and the article concludes on the prospects for further increases in the military burden on the Soviet economy in the 1980s.