The article discusses the relationship between historiography of the contemporary history and the research into the phenomenon iof future in the era of state socialism. The author first briefly introduces the issue of "exploring the Future" and the "politics of the future", pointing to two possible concepts - the future as utopia or a horizon of expectations, and the future as a subject of expertise and governance. These two perspectives are then put into the context of the theory and practice of state-socialist administration of the state and society.