RUSSIA - economic and social changes 1924-41 Flashcards
1
Q
what is collectivisation
A
the policy of creating larger agricultural units where the peasants would farm collectively rather than on individual farms
2
Q
reasons for collectivisation
A
- falling grain production
- looked too much like capitalism with individuals making profit
- stalin’s rival Bukharin who supported NEP so Satlin could attack him by attacking the NEP
3
Q
problems of NEP
A
- many hated that kulaks benefitted most from NEP but workers had to pay more for food
- it wasn’t communism because peasants earn profit
- not enough grain for the population
4
Q
the organisation of the collectives
A
- state-owned the land, equipment and everything produced
- state told each farm what to do a their targets and paid a low price when reached
- set hours
- ## MTS machine tractor stations where the secret police kept an eye on each farm
5
Q
what happened on the attack of the kulaks
A
- grain was forcefully taken by police due to a grain crisis. but many refused an named KULAKS
- stalin shot these ppl
- 30k died so stalin changed the scheme and peasants returned to their farms
- 1931 - stalin re-introduced collectivisation and famine struck USSR
6
Q
collectivisation sucesses
A
- the MTS machinery brought improvements
- young ppl went to agri school and learnt abt modern farming methods
- grain production began to recover and shipped to countries £££
- control over countryside = political success for stalin.
7
Q
failures of collectivisation
A
- 3.3 mill died due to famine
- killing the kulaks killed the most experienced farmers
- not many tractors and they always needed repairs
- internal passports introduced making it extremely hard to leave collectivisation farms.
- kulaks did as little work as they could get away with - no motivation
8
Q
motives for rapid industialisation
A
- marxism said that socialist countries need to be industrialised
- NEP and Bukharin were against industrialisation.
9
Q
5 year plans
A
- first 5 year plan - increasing output of heavy industry eg steelmaking, engineering
- second 5 year plan - same as first but great efficiency
- third 5 year plan - military production and improvements to education
10
Q
gosplan
A
- this was setting targets for key industries to meet
- setting up new factories
- huge pressure on managers - emphasis on quantity over quality
- higher wages if targets were reached
11
Q
stakhanovite movement
A
- he was a coal miner who mined 14 times his target
- soviet propagandist made him a celebrity to encourage others to do this.
- it was also not true because he had a lot of help and very advanced mining equiptment
12
Q
failures of industrialisation
A
- some production depended on slave labour from gulags
- condition dangerous
- targets meant bad quality
13
Q
successes of industrialisation
A
- USSR now a fully industrialised nation
- supply of raw materials increased
- no unemployment
- new factories built.
14
Q
living and working conditions
A
LIVING
- basic but better than before
- very small rooms
WORKING
- workers got holidays, days off, housing, healthcare
- factory conditions were bad and limited health and safety
15
Q
life in towns BAD
A
- housing - communal housing
- food - 4 grades of rations
- working conditions - harsh punishments for lateness and unauthorised time off but conditions better than rural areas
- internal passports restricted people from moving around - secret police were very strict on this
