Stalin's 5 year plans context and aims

Question 1

five year plans

(1928-41)

Answer 1

between 1926-41 there were three 5 year plans

• the first 5 year plan (1928-32)
• second 5 year plan (1933-37)
• thrid 5 year plan (1938-41)

Question 2

the nature of the plans

Answer 2

Gosplan (the central economic agency) formulated production targets for every factory, mine and workshop in the USSR.

• Soviet workers and managers were responsible for meeting theese targets

Question 3

economic propganda

Answer 3

Maissve porpoganda campiagns designed to inspire workers:
* celebrated the plans successes
* focused on heroic objectives
* claims the plans would destroy capitalism
* described modern industrial future

Question 4

command economy

Answer 4

the plans were mainly targets backed by propoganda

• no attempt to ensure the factories had the necessary reasources
• no clear idea as to what goods would be used for once produced

Question 5

the aims

Answer 5

• economists wanted to elimnated nepmen who made money through trade rather than produciton
• economists believed gov controlled production + distributoin would be more efficient that small style nep style trading

Question 6

Stalins aims

Answer 6

• industrialise russia by combining centralised planning with large scale investment
• stalin claimed the USSR was 100 years behind UK+US but would catch up in 15
• Stalin feared a nazi invasion, defending the USSR would require mondern indsutry which could produce modern weapons

Question 7

low labour productivity

Answer 7

• productivity in the USSR was low because of long hours, low pay and little insentive
• labour producvity considerabley less than Britain, USA or western europe