russia theme 2 Flashcards
(106 cards)
1
Q
What did Lenin believe was essential to building socialism?
A
An economic revolution
Lenin had a variety of economic objectives including modernisation, consolidation, military victory, and destroying capitalism.
2
Q
What was the heart of Lenin’s economic policy from 1918 to 1924?
A
The nationalisation of industry
This began in March 1918.
3
Q
What economic phase did Lenin introduce in March 1918?
A
State capitalism
It was seen as a transition between capitalism and socialism.
4
Q
What was the purpose of nationalisation under Lenin?
A
To create a more efficient economy by transferring ownership from capitalists to the state.
5
Q
What was War Communism?
A
A series of emergency economic measures introduced during the Civil War to ensure Communist victory.
6
Q
What were some measures of War Communism?
A
Nationalisation of all industry, food dictatorship, labour discipline, and the abolition of the market.
7
Q
What were the consequences of War Communism?
A
Military victory but economic ruin, leading to famine and a decline in the industrial workforce.
8
Q
What major economic reform followed the crisis of 1921?
A
The New Economic Policy.
9
Q
A
10
Q
A
11
Q
What was the New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced by Lenin?
A
An economic retreat designed to stop a political defeat and retain power.
12
Q
What was one of the main reasons for introducing the NEP?
A
To revive the economy by stimulating grain production to end famine.
13
Q
What did Lenin hope to achieve with the NEP?
A
To generate wealth for industrialization and modernization of the Soviet economy.
14
Q
What economic system did the NEP create?
A
A mixed economy.
15
Q
What changes did the NEP bring to farming?
A
Farming was left to the free market; peasants could buy, sell, and produce freely.
16
Q
What replaced grain requisitioning under the NEP?
A
A tax in kind.
17
Q
What happened to small factories and workshops under the NEP?
A
They were denationalised and allowed to trade freely.
18
Q
How did the NEP affect large factories and major industries?
A
They remained nationalised.
19
Q
What social issues emerged as a consequence of the NEP?
A
Corruption, gambling, prostitution, and drug dealing.
20
Q
What was the political consequence of the NEP?
A
It led to political and economic stability.
21
Q
Did the NEP lead to rapid industrial growth?
A
No, it did not lead to rapid industrial growth.
22
Q
What was the popular response to ending grain requisitioning?
A
It was extremely popular among peasants, leading to increased support for the regime.
23
Q
What concept did Lenin promote regarding the alliance between workers and peasants?
A
‘Smychka’.
24
Q
What was a key division within the Communist Party regarding the NEP?
A
The right-wing supported it as state capitalism; the left-wing opposed it fearing a return to capitalism.
25
What campaign did Lenin authorize under the NEP to support industry?
A major electrification campaign.
26
What was the 'scissors crisis'?
An imbalance where agriculture recovered quickly while industry recovered slowly, leading to a gap between farmers' incomes and industrial prices.
27
Fill in the blank: The NEP allowed 'NEPmen' to become _______.
rich.
28
True or False: The NEP was wholly popular within the Communist Party.
False.
29
30
31
What term describes Stalin's economic policy initiated in 1928?
Revolution from above
## Footnote
This policy marked the end of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and introduced a command economy.
32
What was the biggest success of the first three Five-Year Plans?
Heavy industry
## Footnote
Heavy industry transformed the Soviet economy significantly.
33
By how much did electricity output increase during Stalin's industrialization efforts?
Almost ten-fold
## Footnote
This significant increase was part of the broader industrialization strategy.
34
What were the three main industrial outputs that saw major increases under Stalin?
Electricity, coal, and steel
## Footnote
Specifically: * Electricity output increased almost ten-fold * Coal production went up almost five times * Steel production also saw a substantial rise.
35
What was the role of Gosplan in Stalin's Five-Year Plans?
Formulated the plans and set targets for every factory, mine, and workshop
## Footnote
Gosplan was the government agency responsible for economic planning.
36
What major infrastructure developments occurred under Stalin's policies?
Moscow Metro and Moscow-Volga Canal
## Footnote
* The Moscow Metro's first train lines opened in 1935 * The Moscow-Volga Canal opened in 1937.
37
True or False: Stalin's plans were comprehensive in matching resources to the country's needs.
False
## Footnote
The plans were essentially lists of targets without proper resource allocation.
38
What movement was initiated to increase labor productivity during the first Five-Year Plan?
Stakhanovite movement
## Footnote
Named after coal miner Alexei Stakhanov, who significantly exceeded his quota.
39
What was the range of productivity increase in major industries due to the Stakhanovite movement?
25 to 50 percent
## Footnote
Despite this increase, Soviet productivity lagged behind other industrialized nations.
40
List the reasons Stalin introduced the Five-Year Plans.
* Ideology: abolish capitalism for socialism * Economics: NEP failure * Military: prepare for war * Political: gain left-wing support
## Footnote
Each reason reflects different motivations behind the economic changes.
41
What percentage of government spending was devoted to the military by 1940?
One-third
## Footnote
This significant allocation reflected Stalin's focus on rearmament.
42
What was a common issue with the quality of production during the Five-Year Plans?
Production quality was often low
## Footnote
Factory managers were incentivized to produce large quantities rather than quality goods.
43
What was Stalin's primary economic aim?
Build up heavy industry
## Footnote
This focus led to significant investment in iron, steel, coal, and oil production.
44
What was the efficiency issue in Stalin's economy?
Poor transport and poor coordination, leading to waste
## Footnote
Approximately 40 percent of produced materials were wasted.
45
What unrealistic practices undermined the Five-Year Plans?
* Lack of accurate knowledge of factory capacities * Managers lied about production levels * Falsified data hindered economic management
## Footnote
These practices complicated effective planning and management.
46
47
What was collectivisation in Soviet agriculture?
A process by which small farms were merged into large farms and ownership was taken over by the state
## Footnote
Collectivisation occurred between 1928 and 1941 and was marked by extreme violence.
48
What was one major consequence of collectivisation?
A massive decline in agricultural production
## Footnote
This decline was linked to the violence and resistance encountered during the process.
49
Which region experienced a government-created famine due to collectivisation?
Ukraine
## Footnote
The famine occurred between 1932 and 1933 and resulted in 5 million deaths.
50
What ideological goal motivated the collectivisation process?
To abolish capitalism by ending private ownership of farms
## Footnote
This was a response to the capitalist practices under the NEP.
51
How did collectivisation economically benefit the Soviet government?
Allowed the government to take much more wealth from farms for investment in industrialisation
## Footnote
This was a shift from the small tax collected under the NEP.
52
What was a political reason for introducing collectivisation?
To win support from the left of the Communist Party
## Footnote
This strategy helped consolidate Stalin's power.
53
When was collectivisation introduced?
Late 1929
## Footnote
The introduction marked a significant shift in Soviet agricultural policy.
54
What actions did many peasants take in response to collectivisation?
Destroyed their crops, animals, and machinery
## Footnote
This was a form of resistance against the government's policies.
55
What percentage of livestock was destroyed due to unrest during collectivisation?
17 million horses, 26 million cattle, 11 million pigs, 60 million sheep and goats
## Footnote
This destruction contributed to the agricultural crisis.
56
How did grain production change from 1928 to 1933?
Decreased from 73.3 million tons to 68.4 million tons
## Footnote
This decline reflects the overall agricultural crisis during collectivisation.
57
What modernization effort was associated with collectivisation?
The government allowed farms to hire tractors from Machine Tractor Stations
## Footnote
However, this had a limited impact on overall productivity.
58
What was the increase in grain procurement from 1928 to 1933?
From 10.8 million tons to 22.6 million tons
## Footnote
This increase was a result of the collectivisation process.
59
What were the grain export figures from 1928 to 1931?
Increased from less than 1 million tons in 1928 to 5 million tons in 1931
## Footnote
This increase indicates the government's focus on grain procurement.
60
How did the productivity of collective farms compare to private farms?
Collective farms produced about 320 kilos of grain per hectare, while private farms produced around 410 kilos
## Footnote
This indicates that collective farms were less efficient prior to World War II.
61
True or False: Collectivisation led to an immediate recovery of Soviet agriculture.
False
## Footnote
Soviet agriculture recovered slowly from the impacts of collectivisation.
62
63
What significant event devastated the Soviet economy before 1945?
The Second World War
## Footnote
The war led to severe economic problems and destruction in the Soviet Union.
64
What techniques were used to rebuild Soviet industry and agriculture after the war?
Techniques developed in the 1930s
## Footnote
Economic planners applied previously established methods to recover the economy.
65
What was a major problem faced by the Soviet economy between 1945 and 1953?
Inefficiency of the command economy
## Footnote
The command economy led to unproductive workers compared to other industrial nations.
66
How did Soviet industry and agriculture grow post-war?
Industry grew rapidly; agriculture grew slowly
## Footnote
The government prioritized industrial reconstruction and rearmament.
67
What percentage of industrial investment in Stalin's last years went into light industry?
Less than 12 per cent
## Footnote
This reflects the government's focus on heavy industry.
68
What were the economic consequences of the war by 1945?
25 million homeless, industrial production down to a third of 1940 levels, agriculture producing half the grain
## Footnote
These consequences indicate a significant setback for the Soviet economy.
69
What were the characteristics of Soviet high-tech production post-war?
Lagged behind modern economies; poorly made goods
## Footnote
High-tech production was hindered by the focus on quantity over quality.
70
What was the focus of post-war economic plans in the Soviet Union?
Heavy industry and rearmament
## Footnote
Almost 90% of economic investment was directed towards this area.
71
By 1950, what was the status of the Soviet economy in terms of coal, oil, electricity, iron, and steel production?
Producing more than in 1940
## Footnote
The Soviet economy was the fastest growing in the world at that time.
72
What percentage of government spending was allocated to the Soviet military budget by 1952?
Around 25 per cent
## Footnote
This allocation was influenced by the Cold War.
73
What significant military achievement did Soviet scientists accomplish by 1949?
Successfully tested their first atomic bomb
## Footnote
This marked a significant milestone in military technology.
74
What was a key characteristic of Stalin's approach to economic growth?
Gigantomania
## Footnote
Stalin favored building large factories and producing vast quantities, often at the expense of efficiency.
75
What did Communists who joined the Party in the 1930s believe about Stalin's economy?
It was a huge achievement
## Footnote
They credited Lenin with the political foundation and Stalin with establishing the socialist economy.
76
What aspects of the Soviet system remained until the late 1980s?
Essentials of Lenin's one-party state and Stalin's command economy
## Footnote
These elements were foundational to the Soviet system throughout its history.
77
What economic model did Soviet leaders believe would eventually overtake capitalist economies after Stalin's death?
Stalin's economic model
## Footnote
Soviet leaders remained convinced that Stalin's economic model would one day outpace capitalist economies.
78
What was the period during which the Soviet economy performed well under Khrushchev's reforms?
1956 to 1958
## Footnote
This period was characterized by optimism in the Soviet economy.
79
What major agricultural reform did Khrushchev implement due to the inefficiency of collectivisation?
Khrushchev introduced important reforms in Soviet agriculture
## Footnote
These reforms aimed to rectify the inefficiencies in the agricultural sector.
80
What type of incentives did Khrushchev provide to farmers?
Higher prices for their produce
## Footnote
This approach incentivized production and increased farm incomes significantly.
81
By what percentage did farm incomes increase between 1952 and 1956 due to Khrushchev's incentives?
250 percent
## Footnote
This increase was a result of the higher prices paid to farmers.
82
What was the goal of the Virgin Lands Scheme initiated by Khrushchev?
To increase the amount of land being farmed
## Footnote
New farms were created in regions like the northern Caucasus, Kazakhstan, and Western Siberia.
83
What were the two key investments made by Khrushchev to improve farming efficiency?
* Artificial fertilisers
* Tractors
## Footnote
These investments boosted production significantly.
84
By how much did agricultural production increase from 1954 to 1958?
Around 35.3 percent
## Footnote
This increase marked the initial success of Khrushchev's agricultural policies.
85
What ambitious target did Khrushchev set in 1956 regarding US farm production?
To overtake US farm production by 1960
## Footnote
This target reflected the optimism of the Soviet leadership at the time.
86
What fundamental problems persisted in Soviet agriculture despite initial successes?
* Inefficiency
* Slow growth
## Footnote
These issues ultimately hindered agricultural progress.
87
What was a major consequence of the Virgin Lands Scheme?
High cost of production due to complex irrigation systems
## Footnote
The scheme's requirements made agriculture more expensive.
88
What percentage of the Soviet population worked in agriculture during the 1950s and 1960s?
Around 50 percent
## Footnote
This was significantly higher compared to the 5 percent in the US.
89
What was the percentage growth of farm production between 1959 and 1964?
Around 15 percent
## Footnote
This growth was insufficient to meet Khrushchev's ambitious production targets.
90
What were some reasons for poor agricultural performance in the Soviet Union?
* Incorrect use of fertilisers
* Administrative confusion due to contradictory reforms
* Inadequate storage facilities
* Inadequate pay for agricultural workers
## Footnote
These factors contributed to the inefficiency of the agricultural sector.
91
What happened to Khrushchev's reforms after his removal in 1964?
They were reversed by leading Communists
## Footnote
The new leadership rejected the idea of reform.
92
What was Brezhnev's approach to agriculture?
He managed the existing system without attempts to increase productivity
## Footnote
Brezhnev's focus was on maintaining stability rather than reform.
93
How did Brezhnev maintain low food prices?
By authorising large-scale grain imports from the West
## Footnote
This strategy was critical for food security.
94
What economic condition allowed Brezhnev to buy large amounts of grain from the West?
High oil prices during the 1970s
## Footnote
The revenue from oil sales enabled the Soviet Union to fund food imports.
95
96
What did Khrushchev propose to modernise Soviet industry?
Investing in light industry to produce more consumer goods
## Footnote
This was part of his broader vision for reaching communism by 1980.
97
What were the three major problems hampering economic modernisation in the Soviet Union?
* Military spending
* Command economy
* Inefficiency
## Footnote
These issues limited funds for industrial investment and the ability to produce sophisticated goods.
98
What was the aim of Khrushchev's Seven-Year Plan launched in January 1959?
* Increase production of consumer goods
* Increase production of chemical fertilisers
## Footnote
This plan supported agricultural policies like the Corn Campaign.
99
By 1966, how did the Soviet Union compare to other European nations in terms of car ownership?
Soviet Union: 5 cars per 1,000 people; UK: 200; Holland: 166; West Germany: 207
## Footnote
This highlighted the lag in consumer goods production.
100
What was the production shortfall for consumer goods and chemicals under the Seven-Year Plan?
* Consumer goods: 5% below target
* Chemicals: around 20% below target
## Footnote
Despite increases in ownership of consumer goods, the plan underperformed.
101
What were the two main reasons for the failure of the Seven-Year Plan?
* Introduction of contradictory reforms
* Changing targets of the plan in 1962
## Footnote
These factors contributed to the plan's lower-than-expected growth.
102
What trend occurred in economic growth rates under Khrushchev and continued under Brezhnev?
Growth rates slowed and by 1980 had almost stopped
## Footnote
This stagnation was attributed to refusal to change and increased military investment.
103
How did Brezhnev promise to improve the standard of living?
* Subsidising prices
* Tolerating the growth of the black market
## Footnote
These measures led to shortages and allowed citizens to purchase goods illegally.
104
What was Andropov's reform initiative aimed at addressing long-term economic problems?
'Operation Trawl'
## Footnote
This initiative targeted drunkenness and absenteeism to boost productivity but was short-lived.
105
What was the state of the Soviet economy by 1985?
Stagnant due to unresolved long-term problems
## Footnote
Successive leaders failed to address the issues of the command economy.
106
Fill in the blank: Khrushchev wanted the Soviet Union to reach _______ by 1980.
[communism]
