SOVIET NATIONAL INCOME AND PRODUCT, 1958-1962: PART I. NATIONAL INCOME AT ESTABLISHED PRICES,
Abstract
The second chapter of the study is devoted to evaluation of the accuracy of major income and outlay aggregates in the accounts. Household incomes are appraised on the basis of statements in Soviet sources citing increases in 'money incomes' over specified intervals. On the basis of alternative interpretations of the scope of the term in the various statements, it seems reasonable that the household income and outlay estimates of the Memorandum are not inconsistent with the independent yardsticks. Public sector outlays are appraised by means of a reconciliation with the Soviet state budget. It is concluded that the accounts presented here underestimate these outlays by amounts that at a maximum grow from 3.4 billion rubles in 1958 to 4.7-5.0 billion rubles in 1961-1962. Chapter III comments on some of the implications of the national income estimates. Discussion of the sources of household incomes points up the increase in the share of nonagricultural wages and salaries between 1958 and 1962 and the decline in the relative weight of agricultural incomes; there appears to have been little change in the relative importance of transfer incomes. At a first approach, the proportion of total household outlays devoted to consumption appears to have increased, while the role of investment and transfer outlays (savings and taxes) declined. Evidence is then adduced that the negative statistical discrepancy in the household income account in 1961-1962 reflects increments in currency held by the population, rather than errors in the estimates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0616306
Entities
People
- Abraham S. Becker
Organizations
- RAND Corporation