Economy and Society (1929-1941)

Question 1

What happened in 1929 ?

Answer 1

Stalin introduced forced collectivisation

Question 2

What mainly happened throughout the first stage of forced collectivisation 1929-1930 ?

Answer 2

Stalin wanted to liquidate the kulaks as a class and create a rift between the poor and the rich in the peasant class. The red army and OGBPU were responsible for the killing of kulaks. However it was hard to distinguish between a kulak and a peasant therefore 15% of peasant households were destroyed. Some tried to avoid being labelled as a kulak therefore killed their livestock and destroyed their crops, this only added to the rural problems.

Question 3

What was the aim of the first stage of collectivisation ?

Answer 3

Stalin wanted 25% of peasant households to be collectivised however up to 58% of peasant households were collectivised exceeding expectations. Stalin blamed the officials from being too harsh and said they were ‘dizzy from success’ leading to a period of voluntary collectivisation

Question 4

What happened during the second stage of collectivisation 1930-1941 ?

Answer 4

voluntary collectivisation was only a temporary measure and soon enough forced collectivisation was put into place until in 1941 100% of peasant households were collectivised.

Question 5

What was a Kolkhoz ?

Answer 5

a kolkhoz was a type of collective farm where small individual forms would join together creating one big farm.

Question 6

What were some of the aspects of a Kolkhoz farm ?

Answer 6

• they had to deliver a set quota of produce to the state, they were quite high for example 40% of crops
• profit remaining from the produce was distributed to the farm members based on number of labour days they accumulated
• peasants couldn’t leave the farm due to the implementation of internal passports

Question 7

What was a Sovkhoz farm ?

Answer 7

this is where a small number of farms where run as state farms. Labourers were classified as workers and were paid a fixed wage by the state

Question 8

When were machine tractor stations set up ?

Answer 8

1931

Question 9

What was the role of machine tractor stations ?

Answer 9

they would be used to hire out tractors and machinery to collective and state farms around 2.5k were established.

Question 10

How effective were the machine tractor stations ?

Answer 10

by 1938, 95% of threshing,72% of ploughing,57% of spring sowing,48% of harvesting were carried out mechanically. However there were some aspects of farming which were still carried out manually such as weeding. In addition there was only a limited amount of MTS

Question 11

What was the impact of collectivisation on kulaks and peasants ?

Answer 11

• it had a generally negative impact. There was widespread opposition towards collectivization. Many were scared to be labelled as kulaks and burned their farms and killed livestock.
• armed forces dealt brutally with unrest. Burning down whole villages and anyone who resisted the process of collectivisation would be classified as a kulak and be executed. Around 10 million died due to this.
• quotas were too high for peasants to receive any profit

Question 12

Was collectivisation a success ?

Answer 12

You could argue that it was from a political perspective as the state exuded control over the countryside. This reinforced Stalin’s control within the USSR and the political party. In addition all capitalistic aspects in the country side were abolished.

Question 13

What was Gosplan ?

Answer 13

it was a state planning agency, given the responsibility to draw up plans and output targets for the 5 year plans.

Question 14

What was a drawback of Gosplan ?

Answer 14

most of the output targets set out were really ambitious causing the workers to work extra hard and do whatever means necessary to reach those targes or there would be consequences.

Question 15

When was the first 5 year plan ?

Answer 15

1928-1932

Question 16

What were the aims of the first 5 year plan ?

Answer 16

it was to develop heavy industry
boost overall production by 300%
improve the transport system

Question 17

What did the first 5 year plan cause ?

Answer 17

it created a sense of hope. Many were happy to see radical change occur.

Question 18

When did the second 5 year plan occur ?

Answer 18

1933-1937

Question 19

What were the aims of the second 5 year plan ?

Answer 19

to continue in the development of heavy industry
develop communication between cities and other industrial areas

Question 20

What were the results of the second 5 year plan ?

Answer 20

• electricity production grew rapidly.
• steel production tripled with coal production doubling and by 1938 USSR were self sufficient in metal goods
• however oil production failed and there was no increase in consumer goods

Question 21

When did the third 5 year plan occur ?

Answer 21

1938-1942

Question 22

What were the aims of the third 5 year plan ?

Answer 22

• continue in the development of heavy industry
• focus on rearment

Question 23

What were the results of the third 5 year plan ?

Answer 23

there was a strong growth in machinery and engineering and rearment however this lead to steel production stagnating and there was a lack of consumer goods.

Question 24

What were the two main industrial projects in the USSR ?

Answer 24

• Dniepostroi Dam
• Moscow Metrow

Question 25

When was the Dniepostroi Dam open ?

Answer 25

1932

Question 26

What was the Dniepostroi Dam ?

Answer 26

it was the largest hydroelectric power station. Generating 560W of power, it became one of the largest power plants in the world

Question 27

When was Moscow Metro open ?

Answer 27

1935

Question 28

What was the Moscow Metro ?

Answer 28

it was the USSR's first underground railway system. With an 11km line with 13 stations

Question 29

What was an example of foreign use during rapid industrialisation ?

Answer 29

foreign use was utilised to help in the constriction of vast industrial projects. An example was British engineers who constructed the London underground were recruited to construct Moscow Metro, however upon suspicion many were arrested due to have in depth knowledge of city's geographical layout

Question 30

What were the role of managers throughout rapid industrialisation ?

Answer 30

they had the task of making sure that output targets were met. Due to the high output targets falsifying statistics became common. Also had to maintain good work moral throughout their workforce made difficult due to the implementation of state regulations

Question 31

What were conditions like for workers during rapid industrialisation ?

Answer 31

* 7 day working weeks with long hours * there was overpopulation leading to cramped living spaces * the death rate was 700 per day * labour books were introduced to record workers employment skills and any disciplinary issues

Question 32

What were conditions like for women during rapid industrialisation ?

Answer 32

* women were paid less than men even though they carried out the same job * they found jobs in healthcare and education * by 1940 43% of women made up the industrial workforce * during the second 5 year plan women were employed into heavy industry however this led to SA by male workers

Question 33

How did the Stakhanovism movement come about ?

Answer 33

this was where Alexander Stackonovite mined 102 tonnes of coal in just 5 hours. He became an example of human determination can increase productivity and a source of propaganda to create a new proletarian culture based on teamwork

Question 34

What was a drawback of the Stackonovite movement ?

Answer 34

workers who didn't receive the Stackonovite award would be jealous as they would miss out on material rewards.

Question 35

What were the success of the 5 year plans ?

Answer 35

* it transformed the USSR into a modern industrial economy * the soviet economy grew 5-6% every year * the 1st 5 year plan let do a big improvement in heavy industry * the 2nd 5 year plan led to a big improvement in transportation * the 3rd year plan led to a big improvement in armament industry

Question 36

What were the failures of the 5 year plans ?

Answer 36

* targets were over ambitious, quantity over quality * shortage of skilled labourers due to Stalin's purges

Question 37

What were Stalin's views on Literature and the arts ?

Answer 37

he believed that they were only valuable if they supported socialist ideology

Question 38

What was the Union of Soviet writers and the Union of Artists ?

Answer 38

these were established in 1932 and this exerted control over what artists and writers could create and not being a member would lead to artistic isolation

Question 39

What does the term socialist realism mean ?

Answer 39

this is where artists and writers were to not portray how Soviet life is now, but how it will be in the future. This was to create a sense of hope and create a sense of foreshadowing of the future in the present.

Question 40

What were artists and writers told to portray ?

Answer 40

they were expected to glorify the working man and have themes of optimism and positivity