1973 Soviet economic reform

Alexei Kosygin's intention with the reform was to indirectly weaken the powers and functions of the central Ministries by establishing associations at the republican and local level of government.

The newly established associations were to increase co-operation between enterprises on such important matters as technology, innovation, and education.

Specialised literature proved that the reform's main goal had failed to meet the expected standards.

Historian Jan Åke Dellenbrant notes that an "unofficial reason" for the reform was to intentionally weaken the central Ministries, which had been accused of halting economic progress.

Many associations increased production amongst member enterprises, such as the Gor'kii automobile plant in Leningrad, which was used as a "model example" by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to demonstrate a good association and a unified Primary Party Organisation (PPO).

Kommunist, a Soviet newspaper, noted that PPOs that supervised associations with members over a wide geographic area tended to lose touch with the local party and factory organisations, which prevented them from working effectively.