V. I.

Lenin

280

To:   G. M. KRZHIZHANOVSKY

May 26, 1921

Comrade Krzhizhanovsky, I think it is necessary for the State Planning Commission
to work out two things:

(1) through the statistical subcommission, to draw up a kind of index-number.

A monthly summary of the chief data of our economic life (figures and a curve). Approximately:

Output of fuel
” ore
” iron.

The main data about other branches of industry:

% of workers engaged in production; % of under-fulfilment of sowing plan; state of agricultural production; % of locomotives out of action; absolute number of pood-versts; timber, wood fuel, etc.; supplies of foodstuffs, etc.; electrification likewise ( in each case a comparison with the previous year and
with pre-war).

Without this we shall not have a survey of economic life.

This is one of the fundamentals for the work of the State
Planning Commission.

(2) A subcommission of economic statistics.

The Central Statistical Hoard should ho made into an organisation that does analysis for us, current , not “
scientific” analysis. For example:

How many superfluous people fed?

How many superfluous factories?

How should raw materials be redistributed? And labour-power?

The economic work of the army?

Statisticians must be our practical assistants , not engage
in scholastics.

Think over this, and drop me a line about the results.

Yours, Lenin

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