The paper considers the main stages of development of industry in Russia, the industrial policy, main results of the policy. There are discussed quantitative and qualitative changes in the industry at its various stages, the impact of this sector of the economy to changes in society. Industry has a decisive influence on the transition from one model to another social development model. In the twentieth century, Russia has evolved from an agrarian society to an industrial model, and then – to the post-industrial. However, the transition to a market economy in the 1990s caused a prolonged industrial crisis.