p Sergei Trapeznikov, D. Sc. (Hist.)

p The amazing progress of science, which has its material roots in the growth of the forces of production, is one of the salient features of our times. It has enormously expanded man’s horizons, offering him new opportunities of discovering the secrets of nature and penetrating deeper into the objective laws of society’s development. Indisputably, this is the age of a great scientific and technological revolution accompanied by profound upheavals both in industry and social life. Every new triumph of science further increases its influence on the life of society and accelerates technical and social progress.

p The purpose to which progressive forces throughout the world bend their will and reason is to master the laws of nature and use them to further social progress, thus preventing reaction from turning them to evil ends.

In the conditions of socialism the scientific and technological revolution concerns the whole people and is an object of constant attention of the Communist Party and the Soviet government as a decisive sector of communist construction. Today one cannot ensure adequate economic growth rates without conducting large-scale research and applying its results promptly to production. The outcome of the economic competition between the socialist and capitalist systems depends in great measure on the most effective development of the forces of production and full utilisation of the achievements of science in the productive and intellectual spheres alike.