Russia And The United States

Press, Volume C, Issue 29556, 4 July 1961, Page 14

Russia And The United States

Mr Khrushchev was talking of the subject dearest to his heart when he told the news agency, Tass, about the " long-term prospects of “economic development of “ the Soviet Union ”. References to Berlin were thrown in later for good measure; but a settlement there is only incidental to the main goal he has set himself: to catch up economically with the United States. Not many signs are to be found in Russia proclaiming that Berlin must be " liberated But in factories and on farms, on street hoardings and on matchbox covers the slogan exhorts the Russians: “Overtake and surpass the “United States”. It has caught the imagination of the Russian people, to whom it seems a more realistic goal than the Marxist promise of a society without classes and without government Stalin urged the Russians to sacrifices in the cause of national greatness; Mr Khrushchev tells them they will be great when they have as many motor-cars, television sets, and baths as the Americans. It is for them a purely materialist contest, because the Russian people generally are no more interested than Mr Khrushchev in the political and intellectual freedoms on which the Americans pride themselves. The Russians have few standards of comparison by which to measure such intangibles. They do know that their system has produced a continual, small improvement in their living conditions, and promises them more. Whether liberal ideas will grow with higher living standards is a question awaiting an answer; but at least it is certain that if Mr Khrushchev cannot go some way towards redeeming his promise Russian communism will become an even more uncomfortable neighbour. How quickly is Russia overtaking the United States economically, if indeed it is doing so? According to Professor W. Roetow, the rate of growth in Russia is about 6 per cent a year compared with 3 per cent in the United States. At that rate Russia will be a very long time catching up. In 1955 Russia’s gross national product was only 40 per cent of that of the United States. If the relative rates of growth were maintained the Russian national income would be little more than half that of the United States in 1970. Studies made by the Rand Corporation, of California, show the present disparity in consumer standards. The Russian today is about

where the average American was in 189(1, and nis income is only about half that of the average American of today. Americans have twice as much as the Russians in clothing and footwear, and eat far more sugar, milk, eggs, and meat. The Russians use more flour, potatoes, and fish. When it comes to the “ prosperity symbols ” the Americans are far ahead. In 1958 they had 50 times as many washing machines, 21 times as many television sets, 83 times as many new cars, and 11 times as many refrigerators. The Russians had eight times as many motor-cycles. The Russian hope of overtaking the long American lead lies primarily in a vigorous educational programme, with high academic standards in secondary schools and universities and concentration on the training of doctors, scientists, engineers, and technolqgists. The only fields in which Russians tend to lag are the humanities and social sciences, which may help to explain some of their difficulties in home marketing and distribution. Their educational challenge is a very real one, which may soon give them greater prospects of being able to keep up with the American Joneses.