The factors of regional leaders's career progress in 1945-1953 (by the example of A.B. Aristov's political biography)

In this article main factors of career development of regional managers in the late Stalinism period are considered. These factors are revealed by the example of the political biography of Averkiy Borisovich Aristov who in 1944-1952 headed Krasnoyarsk Krai and then Chelyabinsk Oblast, and in October 1952 became the secretary of the Central Committee of CPSU. On the basis of scientific research and archival documents it is shown that A.B. Aristov headed troubled regions, but each time rather quickly brought these regions to the forefront. Under his leadership, the Krasnoyarsk Krai again became the main producer of marketable bread in Eastern Siberia, and the Chelyabinsk Oblast began to more consistently fulfill production plans and overcame a protracted crisis in agriculture. Like other party leaders of this time, A.B. Aristov tried to fulfill the economic tasks of the center with the help of rigid administration, regardless of the social and economic costs of such management style. But from many of his colleagues and less successful predecessors (I.G. Golubev in Krasnoyarsk Krai and A.A. Beloborodov in Chelyabinsk Oblast), he favorably distinguished himself with high competence. It consisted in ability to organize and maintain the work of local governments and to seek additional resources from the center. Aristov’s competence was also in the ability to competently demonstrate to the center both really significant and minor achievements of his region, and by that to soften some failures. Besides, in some cases, A.B. Aristov managed to find non-standard and low-cost solutions of solving the most acute problems. In particular, with the help of local agrarians, in Krasnoyarsk Krai he tested early sowing, which greatly increase grain crop productivity. Later with the help of this agro-technical innovations A.B. Aristov managed to bring the agriculture of Chelyabinsk Oblast out of the crisis. With the support of academician T.D. Lysenko, he has achieved the approval of these developments on the government and since 1952 they have become to introduce in all territory of Ural and Siberia. The successful implementation of the tasks of the center and first of all, through agriculture, which was given special attention in the postwar period, allowed A.B. Aristov to stand out among other regional leaders. This circumstance has allowed him to achieve protection of the top leaders of the party and the state and, eventually, to reach the highest level of the power in the post-war Soviet Union.

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