Section B: The Economy 1855-194 Flashcards
Facts, statistics and dates to remember (46 cards)
What policy approach did Alexander II, Vyshnegradsky, and Witte use to improve Russian industry and railways?
Increasing foreign investment and importing foreign expertise.
Under Witte, what percentage of Russian railways were privately owned?
80 percent
What was a downside of private railway ownership under Witte?
It made railways incredibly expensive to use.
What was the consequence of Vyshnegradsky’s grain export policies during a grain shortage?
Starvation and famine; the government prioritised industrial growth over feeding the population.
Upper estimate of 1.5 million dead
What economic rationale did Vyshnegradsky use to justify grain exports during famine?
To boost economic growth and compete with foreign powers, even at the cost of the Russian population.
What was the name of Witte’s industrial expansion programme?
The Great Spurt.
How did Witte finance the Great Spurt?
Through foreign loans and investment.
What financial reform did Stolypin introduce to help peasants buy land?
Lower loan rates through the Peasant Land Bank.
What was the main aim of Stolypin’s migration policy?
To ease land hunger by encouraging migration to Siberia.
What percentage of peasants who migrated to Siberia under Stolypin’s reforms returned?
Around 80%.
What social factor limited the success of Stolypin’s reforms?
Strong family/village ties; peasants feared being shunned.
What was the issue with grain requisitioning under the Provisional Government?
It was legalised but couldn’t be enforced due to a lack of military force.
What economic crisis hit urban workers under the Provisional Government?
Severe food shortages.
What was State Capitalism under Lenin?
Partial nationalisation of industry with some private control—meant to stabilise the economy.
What does Lenin’s use of State Capitalism show about Bolshevik policy?
Pragmatism over ideological purity in response to crisis.
By what year had the economy collapsed under War Communism?
1921
What percentage of industrial production remained by 1921 compared to 1913?
Around 20%.
What caused the 1921 famine under War Communism?
Grain requisitioning and no surplus left for peasants.
What did the NEP reintroduce to the economy?
A free market and private trade.
What was the ‘Scissors Crisis’?
A crisis where industrial prices rose while agricultural prices fell, harming peasants.
What sectors were prioritised in the Five-Year Plans?
Heavy industry – steel, coal, iron.
What major infrastructure project symbolised the success of the first Five-Year Plan?
Dnieper Dam.
What was a propaganda benefit of the Dnieper Dam?
It showcased the USSR as a major hydroelectric power.
What was labour discipline under Stalin?
Punishments for absenteeism and lateness at work.
