Domestic monetary reform of 1947: bases of sociological research
The theoretical foundations of the sociological study of the domestic monetary reform of 1947 are presented in the article, which can be considered as the main stage of the postwar reconstruction of the country’s financial system. The main topic of the article is a sociological analysis of the rationale for the social and economic necessity of monetary reform, which includes: the presence of a huge excess of money in circulation; the concentration of significant amounts of cash in a small part of the population, and in the formation of this cash an important role was played by incomes of a speculative and sometimes sometimes illegal nature; the time frame for the reform. The author substantiates the socio-economic needs of the reorganization of the entire monetary system of the Soviet Union at that time, the main one of which was the abolition of the card system. It was also necessary: to ensure the restoration of the pre-war level of consumption and eliminate violations of the balance of the national economy that arose during the war years; to change a significant proportion of the systematic excess of budget revenues over its expenditures to prevent emissions in the context of increasing state credit investments of the State Bank and the creation of financial reserves in the conditions of a consistent reduction in retail prices. A characteristic feature of measures to eliminate the consequences of the war in the sphere of monetary circulation was the direct unity of measures in the sphere of money circulation and retail turnover. The article examines the process of solving the problem of eliminating surplus money in circulation and the card distribution system of products, as well as increasing the purchasing power of money and restoring the usefulness of the Soviet ruble. This could be done in two main ways. Firstly, by gradually withdrawing excess money from circulation through high prices of commercial trade and a gradual reduction in the level of these prices in accordance with the increase in commodity funds and retail turnover. Secondly, through the implementation of monetary reform, that is a one-time withdrawal of cash surplus from circulation. The method of such withdrawal could be the exchange of old money for new ones with a certain restriction. The author analyzes the reasons for the choice in favor of monetary reform and its advantages: faster rates of bringing the money supply in line with the requirements of economic circulation; compulsory withdrawal of monetary savings from persons who illegally profited during the war; reduction of the money supply to pre-set sizes; inevitable losses for the population during the reform are actually transferred to holders of significant cash (speculators). Next, we study the socio-economic foundations of monetary reform and its social results.