Collectivisation Flashcards
What was the great turn?
Rapid industrialisation at any cost and collectivisation would provide food supplies for the masses
What were the reasons for the great turn?
- weaknesses in industrial management as increases efficiency was needed for increased production as it would improve the quality and price of industrial goods
-By 1927, the growth of the NEP was limited to support self-sufficiency and growth of USSR military strength - In the winter of 1927-8, the amount of grain purchased by the government was 25% less than the previous year. Grain prices were low and peasant productions were concentrated on other goods catalysing a stream of complaints for party officials for grain hoarding as they hoped for higher prices
- Many called for true socialism with state control over grain production and industrialisation
- Stalin was willing to have a radical view on the NEP and economic circumstances due to its problems
What happened in the 14th party congress in 1925?
It called for a transformation from agrarian to industrial
When was there concerns over industrialisation but still maintained the NEP?
1926
What was introduced in the 15th party congress in December 1927?
The first 5 year plan
What were the targets of the first 5 year plan?
- develop heavy machinery (coal, iron, steel, oil and machinery)
- boost overall production by 300%
- improve transport systems especially railways
- increase the use of electricity by 600% in 1933
- big increases in agricultural production
- light industries (chemicals, household goods) were given a lower priority but still expected to double
Why were ambitious targets set?
- It forced managers and workers to devote maximum effort as it was supported by propaganda
- Stalin claimed it would be fulfilled by mass enthusiasm from the workers
What did it architecturally encourage?
- The planning of Magnitogorsk from 1928
- Tractor factories in Stalingrad and Kharkiv in Ukraine
How did party members view the 1st five year plan?
- pleased with radical social change even though it was hyperbolic through propaganda
- saw kulaks as the backbones of the agricultural economy and harsh imposure of collectivisation would reduce food production
How did urban workers view the first 5 year plan?
better employment prospects and living standards
How did the poor view the first 5 year plan?
Improvements from land reforms and use of modern farming methods
How did managing industrial production view the first 5 year plan?
Centralised planning was a gamble as it wouldn’t magically solve the problems
What happened between late 1927 and December 1929?
Debates arose around between the Bukharinists who wanted prices to rise as it gave incentives to produce as their wages grew whilst opponents sawt his as getting in the way of modernisation and industry
How did Stalin implement collectivisation initally?
In western Siberia and the Urals as grain production was down by 1/3 forcing his officials and police to close free markers, using article 107 to stop speculation and pressures to seize grain allowed it to be seen as a weapon of choice
What happened in Bukharin in 1928?
By summer, his position was weak and was outnumbered. By October, Bukharinists lost the majority. In November, Stalin felt strong enough of accusing Bukharin of right deviation
What happened to collectivisation in 1929?
- In summer, Molotov issued central directives from local officials despite less than 5% of farms being collectivised
- 25,000 urban workers on central committee orders to accelerate the development of industrialised farms
- In December 1929, Stalin wanted to annihilate the kulaks as a class
How was violence used in stage 1 of collectivisation?
- Governments began to issue quotas with punishments if they weren’t kept as propaganda started to present a class divide between peasants and the kulaks
- By the end of 1929, they began forced collectivisation through local party members, OGPU and the red army. They executed or deported kulaks who were about 4% of the population
- In practice about 15% of households were destroyed and 150,000 fled north and east to poorer lands as well as killing livestock and crops to prevent the label
What happened from January 1930?
Stalin announced that 25% of grain farming areas were collectivised that year as people were frightened to join collectivised farms and by March, 58% of households were collectivised which led Stalin to suggest that local officials were too rigorous
When happened voluntary confession returned in autumn?
- they had the opportunity to leave and regain their livestock if they were not kulaks
- By the following October only 20% of households were collectivised
What happened in the second stage of collectivisation?
By 1931, numbers rose to 50% collectivised however only 10 years later, 100% were collectivised
What were kolkhozs?
- The typical collective farms by combining smaller farms as a cooperative unit with up to 75 families and their livestock
- Many compromised in a single village living in the same houses and working on the same plot of land as well communal fields
- These fields had to be mapped out, work parties dug out ditches, erect fences, communal buildings such as schools and clinic
- quotas were delivered to each farm with up to 40% being taken, allow purchase prices to be set up by the government but the farm paid if the quota was not met
What happened to leftover profits and goods?
- shared out dependent on labour days
- from 1932, it could be sold on the collective farm market
Who were the chairmen?
Communist party members
When were internal passports in the kolkhoz introduced?
1932
