What was the impact of Stalin's economic policies? Flashcards
1
Q
Why did Stalin introduce the five-year plans? (fear of invasion)
A
- The help that Britain and France gave the whites during the civil war increased Stalin’s fear of an attack from the west.
- Industrialisation would enable Stalin to build up and control his armed forces, which would help ensure victory in future wars.
- Stalin had a growing feeling of diplomatic isolation among many leading politicians, so needed to rapidly strengthen the Soviet Union in order to deter any would-be opponents.
2
Q
Why did Stalin introduce the five-year plans? (disappointing output)
A
- Despite the economic advances made by the NEP, industrial output was still disappointing.
- Stalin felt that central control would enable the government to direct the economy and ensure a rapid expansion in heavy industry.
- Soviet production of coal and steel was behind that of France in the 1920’s
3
Q
Why did Stalin introduce the five-year plans? (communist principles)
A
- By creating and sharing wealth among the Soviet people he hoped to create a strong state based on communist principles, where the state controlled economic activity.
- It would get rid of capitalist elements of society such as the hated Nepmen and Kulaks
4
Q
Describe the first Five-Year Plan and when it was
A
- Industrialisation was launched by Gosplan (the State Planning Authority), which set targets for certain key industries and ensured that these industries were prioritised in the allocation of manpower and raw materials.
- The targets were often very unrealistic.
- More specifically, this plan was focused on heavy industry, such as coal, steel and iron. The ‘new’ industries such as electricity, motor vehicles, chemicals and rubber were also targeted but consumer industries were neglected.
- It was 1928-32
5
Q
Describe the Second Five-Year Plan and when it was
A
- Originally, targets were set for the production of consumer goods.
- The targets were still ambitious but not completely unrealistic.
- As fear of invasion increased, heavy industry became the top priority again and consumer goods were neglected.
- The production of armaments trebled.
- Living standards remained poor.
- It was 1933-37
6
Q
Describe the third Five-Year Plan and when it was
A
- Concentrated on the production of consumer goods and luxuries such as bicycles and radios
- The plan was abandoned with the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941
- It was 1938-41
7
Q
How did the gain crisis of ….. motivate Stalin to collectivise farms?
A
- Soviet peasants used old-fashioned, inefficient farming methods
- Agriculture was based around small, peasant farming plots and little machinery was used
- Even under NEP, not enough grain was being produced for urban workers
- Peasants didn’t grow large amounts of grain because they knew it would be seized by the state at a low price
- The grain crisis was in 1927
8
Q
How did the needs of industrialisation motivate Stalin to collectivise farms?
A
- Agriculture had to be modernised so that industrialisation was successful
- Mechanisation of agriculture would mean that farming was more efficient and fewer peasants were needed so some peasants could move to the cities and become urban workers
9
Q
How did the kulaks motivate Stalin to collectivise farms?
A
- Stalin strongly disliked the kulaks who, in the eyes of the communists, hoarded food for themselves rather than providing grain for the industrial workers
- Stalin had political motivation to eliminate this capitalist class
10
Q
How was industrialisation an economic failure?
A
- Targets set by Gosplan were frequently missed; for example, in 1932, the target for coal production was 8 million, but the actual production only reached 6.2 million. This immense difference highlights how industrialisation was unsuccessful as its original aims were not fulfilled.
- The failure to meet ridiculously high targets was considered a criminal offence, so management tampered with production statistics and a widespread wave of corruption in the economy was created, which deems industrialisation economically unsuccessful.
- In 1937, there was an economic slowdown in the USSR, which led to iron and steel industries virtually not growing. This exemplifies the weakness in the Soviet economy during industrialisation, which was partly due to ill organisation and bad cooperation. Overall, the use of corruption and bribery to achieve targets combined with the economy failing to fulfil its aims deems industrialization a failure.
11
Q
How was industrialisation an economic success?
A
- Industrialization was economically successful as it transformed Russia from a backward, agricultural society into a strong industrial nation.
- For example, during the first Five-Year plan which focused on increasing the production of heavy industry, the actual output of coal, oil, iron core and pig iron almost doubled the original targets set by Gosplan.
- In addition, during the second Five-Year Plan, the production of coal doubled, steel tripled and electricity quadrupled which exemplifies how heavy industry continued to grow at a remarkably rapid rate.
- Moreover, industrialisation was successful in improving the military might of the Soviet Union as armaments trebled during the second plan.
- Overall, industrialisation was clearly an economic success as it swiftly transformed Russia into the second most powerful industrial nation in the world.
12
Q
How was industrialisation a social failure?
A
- Industrialization was a failure as it neglected the quality of life of workers to increase industrial output.
- The wage of workers decreased during Stalin’s modernisation of industry by disproportional amount; wages decreased by 50% from 1928 to 1933. As a result, many workers lived in mud huts and were forced to work seven days a week, which ultimately led to an increase in crime, alcoholism and juvenile delinquency.
- In this sense, industrialization was failure because its economic progress does not outweigh the disproportional suffering induced on the majority of workers to achieve such high targets.
- However, this argument is limited because the aims of industrialisation were solely focused on the rapid growth of soviet industry regardless of the hardship that workers would have to endure, so you cannot diminish its success based on the suffering of society.
13
Q
How was industrialisation a political success?
A
- The central planning and control of industry through Vesenkha and Gosplan ultimately strengthened Stalin’s government as the state had more control over the population.
- State controlled economic activity is based on communist principles, so fulfilled Stalin’s aim of guaranteeing the survival of the communist revolution.
- Industrialization also focused on the imprisonment of the ‘bourgeois specialist’, which was the industrial equivalent of a kulak and a natural threat to communism.
- In this sense, industrialization was successful in reducing anti Soviet attitudes amongst the population, which strengthened the government.
14
Q
How was collectivisation an economic failure?
A
- Peasant resistance to collectivisation, seen in the burning of crops and the slaughter of 25 to 30% of all livestock, significantly limited grain procurement.
- As a result, there was a fall in grain production by 5.7 million from 1928 to 1934. In this sense, the bitter resistance against collectivisation from the peasants prevented Stalin from achieving his aims of economic prosperity and modernization.
- Agricultural output remained low for an extended period of time; figures of grain production only reached those of 1914 after 1940.
- Poor supply chains resulted in grain rotting rather than being distributed, which exemplifies how central control of agriculture was often ineffective.
15
Q
How was collectivisation an economic success?
A
- A relatively steady supply of 22.8 million tonnes of grain were produced in 1931. In this sense, Stalin’s aim of producing enough food to feed the towns and the Red Army in order to strengthen the USSR industrially or militarily were achieved.
- The exports of grain to bring industrial growth and development remained high; 5 million tonnes was exported in 1931. These exports were crucial in raising the USSR’s industrial growth towards European levels, which made the Soviets better equipped for war.
- In conclusion, collectivization was a success as it provided the resources needed for industrialization through the seizure of grain despite declining harvest.
