Lietuvos ūkio raidos specifika XX a. 5-6 dešimtmečiais

ENIncorporation of the Baltic States' economy into the united system of the USSR in the post-war period for ideological purposes was referred to as the restoration of Lithuanian (Latvian/Estonian) people's economy and Socialist reforms, though this process can with equal success be called economic annexation. Undoubtedly, the economic model that settled in Russia in the 1930s was mechanically transferred to the eastern Baltic States which prior to that, despite significant state and cooperative sector, lived in the conditions of market economy. Full-scale nationalization separated manufacturers from implements of production (first of all in agriculture, though in other sectors of economy small manufacturers were prevailing) and the economy of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - from world economy. Local natural resources, productive capacity and financial resources were subdued to the interests of the central authorities in Moscow. As compared to other eastern Baltic States, in the first post-war decade Lithuania received much fewer investments. The situation changed only starting with the mid-1950s. Union-wide assessment suggests that in a few decades from the mid-1950s to mid-1970s, Lithuanian economy underwent significant rise, the majority of quantitative and qualitative indices were well above Empire average. Industry which earlier could have hardly been comparable to industrial neighbours Latvia and Estonia in the 1970s significantly closed on them. Agriculture which underwent catastrophic decline in the early 1950s was among the most productive and effective in the period between 1975 and 1985. Generally speaking, three stages of the development of Lithuanian economy are distinguishable: 1) from the end of WWII to the mid-1950s, 2) from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, and 3) from the mid-1960s to 1989.The first stage is characterized by efforts to rebuild what was destroyed during the war and expand production following the industrialization trend set back in the late-1930s in independent Lithuania - expand building material, woodwork, light and food industries. In the second stage, which can be called the period of conditional economic autonomy, the industry was still developed for the most part with respect to Lithuania's needs (both - in the sense of consumption and possibilities/ resources). Rapid development of Lithuania's economy started. In the third period focus was shifted to the needs of a broader region. Production of mineral fertilizers was organized with a view to meet the requirements of both Lithuania and Kaliningrad region (following the construction of gas pipe-line, production of nitrogen fertilizers was developed), expanded synthetic fibre manufacturing industry was intended to serve the textile industry of the Baltic States and the production of building materials was also developed with regard to the needs of a broader region. Objects constructed and brought into operation in the 1980s were of strategic importance to the whole of the USSR. In contrast to Lithuania, in Latvia and Estonia economic objects that were strategically important to the USSR were put into operation or laid down starting from 1945. This was due to the above discussed considerably higher level of economic development in Latvia and Lithuania. Already in the early 20th factories and enterprises of vital importance to the Russian Empire were in operation in the latter two countries. However, the fact that in Lithuania - in contrast to the neighbouring Latvia and Estonia - the centre initially did not pose extensive objectives in the contexts of a broader region may suggest that underdevelopment of non-agrarian sectors of industry may be more related to the peculiarities of Lithuania itself and local needs rather than requirements of the vast country.Lithuania's economic underdevelopment was in a sense advantageous to the country. Naturally, the wellbeing of Lithuania's economy and citizens until the late 1960s was behind that of Latvia and Estonia, however, in Lithuania a) most ecological problems were absent; b) there was no large-scale immigration from the East (the reasons of non-economic minor immigration in Lithuania are constantly discussed and needlessly overvalued). In 1945-1960 (or at least in 1945-1955/1957) Lithuania was distinguished from other east Baltic States by economy development based on the countries’ capabilities, resources and demand. [From the publication]