Social Engineering
사회공학
A methodology of scientific labor organization proposed by Aleksei Gastev in his 1921 programmatic article "Our Tasks." It aimed to reorganize human-machine complexes through precise measurement, formulas, and control gauges, targeting the complete mathematization of psychophysiology and economics. Implemented through the Central Institute of Labour (CIT), it trained over half a million skilled workers. It was distinct from Taylorism and Fordism in centering the human factor and the inculcation of labor culture.
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Sources
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian Wikipedia article on Gastev with dedicated section "Идея социальной инженерии" detailing the 1921 program, principles, and contrast with Taylor/Ford
- Wikipedia (EN) English Wikipedia article confirming social engineering as Gastev's core concept, the 1921 "Our Tasks" article, and the CIT's role in implementing it
- e-flux.com e-flux journal (April 2026) with introduction by Aleksandra Selivanova: Gastev conceived social engineering as "a new science concerned with the laws governing the interaction between complexes of machines and complexes of individuals" and CIT trained 548,643 workers over fifteen years