Section 2 (6): Economic and Social policies and Problems Under Brezhnev

Question 1

What did Kosygin argue was necessary for the economy?

Answer 1

More indépendance to factories and other enterprises would free the Economy from problems caused by central planning.

Question 2

Who was against Kosygins ideas?

Answer 2

A faction of bureaucracy as they did not want to lose control over enterprises and their workers.

Question 3

Where did arguments over factions appear and what did they claim?

Answer 3

• May 1965; Communist newspapers
• Izvestia for Kosygin faction - Soviet economy should operate under economic laws so factories could make profits
• Pravda for bureaucracy - argued profit incentives would promote selfishness which was not socialist and would promote capitalism.

Question 4

What did Brezhnev think of Kosygin’s ideas?

Answer 4

Didn’t agree and sided with the party however neither faction was strong enough to outdo the other, so reforms were still introduced.

Question 5

What did Kosygin’s reforms consist of?

Answer 5

• number of targets for enterprises reduces, some targets set for products sold rather than produced to promote efficiency
• individual managers could make some decisions over what they could produce, and keep some profits to re-invest
• workers could also share some of the access of the business, and managers could sack unproductive workers.

Question 6

Why were kosygins reforms limited by Brezhnev?

Answer 6

The removal of the sovnarkhozy meant that although Kosygin did de-centralise some of the economy, most of it went back to the centre (ministries).

Question 7

What were the results of Kosygin’s reforms?

Answer 7

• by end of 1967 - 15% of enterprises of 17 branches of the new industry had new conditions, representing a third of all industrial output
• labour productivity increases but didn’t meet reform targets
• managers start using new freedoms between 1965 and 1971, which evoked fear in bureaucrats
• the soviet system which made unemployment unknown now had it as a new fear
• ministries took back control on enterprises - targets increased and investments were controleed
• backlash against the reforms which made them shelved. Not enough to have him fully replaced by Brezhnev.

Question 8

Tenth Five Year Plan covered which years?

Answer 8

1976-1980.

Question 9

What did the Tenth Five Plan aim to do?

Answer 9

• Lowered targets
• aimed for “effectiveness and quality” (Brezhnev) - due to slowdown in technological progress, this aimed to modernise, improve technology.

Question 10

By how much did the economy slowdown a year in 1970s?

Answer 10

2%.

Question 11

Why did the economy slowdown?

Answer 11

• agriculture remained in crisis
• military spending too high
• bottlenecks in production
• lack of consumer goods
• natural resources were running out and Siberian production was too slow to develop
• workers and managers lost incentives
• population growing more slowly.

Question 12

By how much did investment in agriculture increase to?

Answer 12

from 16% to 27%.

Question 13

How did prices for agricultural goods change?

Answer 13

increased to provide higher incomes for farmers.

Question 14

What was the problem with increased investment to agriculture?

Answer 14

• inefficient farming practices continued to be subsidised.
• prices needed to stay low so unrest couldn’t occur, meaning the extra cost was a burden to the economy
• 1977, subsidy to agriculture cost 19 million roubles
• removed incentives to improve production - worker productivity was extremely low. they would prefer to work in their private plots to make income for their families.

Question 15

By how much fold did Brezhnev increase military spending over his course?

Answer 15

8-fold - 15% of GDP.

Question 16

What did Brezhnev admit about military spending and when?

Answer 16

1971 - admitted economy would’ve developed more quickly id defence spending wasn’t required.

Question 17

What did Brezhnev address to the party plenum in 1965?

Answer 17

stressed the need for the soviet people to know how much the party and government cared about increasing their material and cultural well-being.

Question 18

How did Brezhnev deliver on his promise to the party plenum?

Answer 18

• people virtually enjoyed full employment
• job security
• high-quality education and healthcare
• consumer goods became more accessible

Question 19

How do soviets vote Brezhnevs era?

Answer 19

‘golden age’ for material satisfaction and international prestige.

Question 20

What did social comfortably mean for the party and peoples reactions?

Answer 20

People did not challenge the party politically, allowing the party to roll as it was - stagnation.

Question 21

How did Brezhnev make a social contract with the people?

Answer 21

He forged the coercion by Stalin and the campaigning by Khrushchev through raising living standards with a a sort of consumerism.

Question 22

What type of lifestyle did the the elites enjoy in the most important cities?

Answer 22

• chauffeured cars
• big flats
• country dachas (country cottage)
• special shops with luxurious goods.

Question 23

How did elites children have special privileges regarding their education?

Answer 23

Went to schools which were connected to the most successful careers.

Question 24

Where did elites have their holidays?

Answer 24

Black Sea, the warm south of the USSR.

Question 25

Was it out in the open that party leadership and Brezhnev enjoyed the luxuries of the elite?

Answer 25

No, it was a secret.

Question 26

How was social inequality still made aware to the soviet society?

Answer 26

there was a special lane for the luxurious Zil cars of the party nomenklatura.

Question 27

How did the party promote a 'high culture'?

Answer 27

* promoted what would be considered elite cultural events for all soviets, so they'd have large audiences. * also very literary as it was promoted to read soviet classics.

Question 28

Who did the strict controls in the 'high culture' frustrate?

Answer 28

highly educated elite who wanted to explore other ways of thinking and expressing themselves.

Question 29

What did frustration and restrictions cause among the elite?

Answer 29

* growing resentment against the regime among a small percentage of the elite * an even smaller percent (the dissidents) expressed resentment openly being defiant with the KGB.

Question 30

What did a positive form of discrimination mean the party elite?

Answer 30

to. be accessible to all in soviet society, and be representative of all ethnicities in the USSR.

Question 31

What was soviet elite culture like? However?

Answer 31

* conformist and Russian oriented * there were limited opportunities for soviet minority culture to develop and be promoted and valued within society.

Question 32

What did Brezhnev's policy of 'trust in the cadres' mean for for party elites?

Answer 32

republic-level party elites were formed that were not all dominated by Russians.

Question 33

What did having ethnic minority party elites in republics mean and allow?

Answer 33

although they conformed to soviet expectations, they created centres for the future development of nationalism.

Question 34

How was life for the kolkhozniks and on the streets?

Answer 34

* they endured low wages and few amenities * streets remained unpaved, schools only had basic education, healthcare services were low.

Question 35

What did the prominent migration from kolkhoz to the cities mean for the village population?

Answer 35

they were elderly and unskilled.

Question 36

How did practically minded soviets find ways around difficulties in everyday life?

Answer 36

* since a planned economy meant shortages were frequent, many had stocked up on goods * families grew their own crops and collected berries for jam * black market supplied same goods as state shops (for much higher price).

Question 37

What were problems faced by those living in 'closed-cities'?

Answer 37

* heavily controlled * included military services and industries (including Moscow) * resident permits to live in Moscow were difficult to obtain outside of the elites

Question 38

Who primarily gained permits to live in Moscow?

Answer 38

* those willing to take bribes, best connected, most successful student * workers had temporary work permits, or then lived illegal once they ran out.