The the publication is focused on the problem associated with attempts to implement the central party and government’s decisions that implied a breakthrough in the development and implementation of computing technology, the creation of an automated control system and a nationwide automated system for accounting and processing information. The ivastigation involved declassified archival documents. The methodological basis of the study is the theory of modernization, with its theses of the interrelationship between economic development and political changes. The documents from the Apparatus of the Central Committee of the CPSU RGANI’s funds prove that of the options for further development of computing technology in the USSR proposed by specialists, the Soviet leadership chose the plan offered by the Ministry of Radio Industry. The plan did not ensure rapid overcoming of the USSR technological backwardness from the leading capitalist countries and turned out to be the least promising. Domestic developments were carried out less and less intensively, with no sufficient funds allocated. Soviet computing centers were filled with ES series computers, which turned out to be very expensive, cumbersome and energy consuming. The conclusion is formulated that a breakthrough in this area was not possible to ensure. The development of the USSR's own computer industry and its large-scale implementation did not trigger a new stage of the country's much-needed modernization. Technological backwardness remained increasing reasoned by miscalculations in planning and management, clearly demonstrated by OGAS project’s fate; the lack of a coordination center and proper interaction between the defense and civilian sectors; the prevalence of departmental interests, enterprises with thier weak interest in modernization, finally, the authorities ignoring leading scientists’ recommendations. The materials of the study may be of interest for developing an optimal scientifically based country's socio-economic development strategy, teaching courses in history and further researches.