The state of Russia by 1941

Question 1

How many new industries were established between ‘28 and ‘41?

Answer 1

-8000

Question 2

What issues were hampering industry?

Answer 2

• Shortage of Labour. Industry was expanding quicker
• Industrial expansion was largely a result of prison labour. (9 million in camps)
• Shortage of technical experts. - in part due to Stalin’s purges

Question 3

What issues were there in agriculture?

Answer 3

-Poorest harvest in 1940 since 1913

• Rural workers moved around the union for better living standards
• -> internal passports brought in

Question 4

What were living standards by 1940?

Answer 4

-During the 30’s wages fell

• Labour Discipline had become more restrictive
• > req to leave job, absent= crime , working hours increased

-FYP emphasis on heavy Industry at expense of consumer goods

Question 5

Politically what was the USSR like by 1941?

Answer 5

-One party Dictatorship;

• Purges meant that Stalin was in complete control.
• Institutions independent from the party were banned.

Question 6

What evidence is there to suggest that the country wasn’t a personal dictatorship?

Answer 6

-Although eminating from the centre, many of Stalin’s policies required their own momentum from local officials who carried out these policies.

E.g ->Local officials would often protect one another against central demands. -Falsifying of stats

Question 7

How can Lenin be seen to be laying the foundations of a one party state?

Answer 7

-Lenin forced closure of the constituent assembly in 1918.

Lenin’s constitution only permitted the existence of the communist party.

Question 8

How did Stalin and lenin differ in dealing with opposition?

Answer 8

Lenin:

• Non violent internal purges ie 150,000 expulsions and ban on factions in party
• Violent eternal purges:Ie red terror developed prison camp system for political enemies.

Stalin:-Violent internal purges due to paranoia.600,000 party members executed.
Violent external purges:NKVD arrested millions of civilians. destroyed Kulaks ,waged class warfare.

Question 9

What was the state of the Stalinist economy?

Answer 9

-FYP=>Russia into a highly industrialised and urbanised nation.
E.G 17% lived in towns and overtaken Britain in steel production.
=> aided soviet WW2 victory.

Weakness:
-Uneven economic development. (Consumer vs heavy industry)
-FYP–> poor quality of goods and stifled innovation. Falsifying stats.
-unorganised:e.g Agricultural machinary use limited to lack of trained inviduals to repair.
also unorganised due to stalinist purges of beorgois specialists

Question 10

What was the state of Stalinist society?

Answer 10

• Communist control of the countryside,Install communal values and banish traditional ideas. (Peasants typically more traditional)
• Increased urbanisation-> Larger proletariat (backbone of communist state)
• distinct soviet culture appeared through art and, public celebrations and literature.
• Living conditions: Low rations, poor prefabricated housing and strict censorship.

-hierarchical society (contradictory to socialism)
=> Dominated by party elite and Normanklatura. Special party privileges .
Contradictory to socialism, instead of state withering away, state became more formidable.

Question 11

What was the state of the soviet union by june 1941?

Answer 11

• Threat of expansionist Germany.Not ready for War.Purges of Red Army weakened Army.
• Military spending increased fom 16.5% (‘37) to 32.6% in 1940.
• Threat of being purged meant that military officers didn’t try anything new.
• Third FYP focus on military spending hampered agricultural development.

Question 12

Why had Stalin purged the Red Army?

Answer 12

• Trotsky= Stalin’s enemy.
• Trotsky previously under control of Army therefore possibility that army were loyal to him rather than Stalin.
• Also to further demonstrate his legitimacy of authority.