15. Economic developments (1917-41) Flashcards
How much were the bread rations in Petrograd by Feb 1918?
50g of bread per day
What was the first industry to be nationalised?
Sugar, in May 1918
What was war communism?
1918-21 during the Civil War.
- Nationalisation of all industry
- Ban on private trade
- Internal passports
- End to workers’ control, specialists reintroduced
- Harsh grain requisitioning
- Rationing
By how much did Russia’s population fall between 1913 and 1921?
From 170m in 1913 to 130m in 1921.
How much land was abandoned to grass during war communism?
One third of land
What was the NEP?
New Economic Policy (1921-28)
- Continued state control of commanding heights of the economy
- Reintroduction of private ownership of smaller businesses
- An end to rationing and requisitioning of grain
- Peasants could sell surplus grain
Who were Nepmen?
Traders who bought up peasants’ produce to sell in the towns, and consumer goods to sell to the peasants.
What % of retail trade was controlled by Nepmen in 1923?
75%
What were the AIMS of the first Five Year Plan (1928-32)?
- Increase production by 300%
- Develop heavy industry
- Increase electricity production by 600%
What were the RESULTS of the first Five Year Plan?
- Electricity output trebled
- Coal and iron output doubled
- New industrial complexes such as Magnitogorsk - an industrial town of 150,000 people, made from nothing.
What were the AIMS of the second Five Year Plan (1933-37)?
- Develop light industries such as consumer goods
- Develop communications
- Boost engineering
What were the RESULTS of the second Five Year Plan (1933-37)?
- Moscow Metro (1935)
- Volga Canal (1937)
- Steel output trebled
- Coal production doubled
What were the AIMS of the third Five Year Plan (1938-42)?
- Focus on heavy industry
- Promote rapid rearmament
What were the RESULTS of the third Five Year Plan (1938-42)?
Underperformance in many areas because:
- Funds were diverted towards rearmament
- Most of the good managers had been purged
- Plan was disrupted by German invasion in 1941
What was the ‘Ural-Siberian method’ of grain requisitioning?
A harsh method involving forcible seizure of grain and closing down of markets. Supported by Stalin.
When did collectivisation start?
Dec 1929
What % of peasant households had been collectivised by March 1930 (prompting the “dizzy with success” article)?
58% by March 1930
What were MTSs?
Machine tractor stations. Provided machinery for the kolkhozes (collective farms), as well as keeping an eye out for troublemakers.
How many peasants were killed from dekulakisation?
Around 10 million
How long was it before livestock numbers reached pre-collectivisation levels again?
Only in 1953 did livestock reach pre-collectivisation numbers.
What proportion of food was grown on peasants’ private plots and sold privately, during the 1930s?
52% of veg
70% of meat
71% of milk
