15: the Stalinist economy Flashcards
what did 14th party congress in 1925 call for
transformation of our country from an agrarian into an industrial one, capable by its own efforts to producing the necessary means
14th party congress known as
the industrialisation congress
what was NEP maintained throughout 1926 despite
concerns raised about how more investment was needed to drive industry forwards
what was announced at the 15th party congress
the end of NEP and the beginning of the first five year plan for rapid industrialisation
what was the first 5 year plan known as
the great turn
what was the great turn driven by
a number of economic factors and stalins desire to establish his leadership
what was the NEP failing to do by 1927
to produce the growth that many leading communists sought, and a war scare in the late 1920s made them particularly nervous
why did gov want to increase USSRS military strength and develop its self-sufficiency
so that is was less reliant on foreign imports
what was essential to move towards socialism
to develop industry and not have a state dependent on peasants and grain harvest
how did the great turn suit stalins personal style
to have strong central control over the economy, known as ‘central planning’
what targets did Stalin set in his 5 year plans
-very ambitious targets for enterprises to attain
what were the targets intended to do
force managers and workers to devote their maximum effort to the programme
what were the launching and fulfillment of the plans accompanied by
lots of propaganda
why did statistics show huge improvements in industry following 5 year plans
- failure to achieve target deemed a criminal offence
- all those involved in administering and carrying out plans went to great lengths to ensure reported statistics showed huge improvements
what was built into the system of industrialisation from the start
corruption and faulty reporting
aims of first 5 year plan
- increase production 300% by setting targets for growth
- develop heavy industry
- boost electricity production 600%
- double output of light industry
what did the publicity surrounding the launch of the first 5 year plan provoke
an enthusiastic response
what did stalin claim of 5 year plans that evidenced its success
targets met in 4 years instead of 5
why was it claimed first 5 year plan targets met in 4 years not 5
over enthusiastic reporting by local officials, keen to show loyalty and effort
were any major targets of first 5 year plans met, in reality
no
what brought impressive growth in first 5 year plans
major investment
first 5 year plan: electricity
x3
first 5 year plan: coal and iron output
x2
first 5 year plan: steel production
1/3
examples of what sprung up during first 5 year plans
new railways, engineering plants, hydro-electric power schemes and industrial complexes
what targets were not met in first 5 year plans
chemical industry
what industries were neglected under first 5 year plans
house building, food processing and other consumer industries
what obstacles were there to effective development in first 5 year plan
too few skilled workers and too little effective coordination
what lost out in first 5 year plan
smaller industrial works and workshops, in competition from bigger factories
aims of second 5 year plan
- continue development of heavy industry
- put new emphasis on light industries and consumer goods
- develop communications to provide links between cities and areas of industry
- boost engineering and tool making
when were three good years
1934-36 (second 5yp)
when was Moscow metro opened
1935
Volga canal opened
1937
what did dnieprostroi dam produce
HEP
when was dnieprostroi dam completed
1932
what happened to dnieprostroi dam under 2nd 5yp
extended, with 4 more generators
which industries grew rapidly under 25yp
electricity production and chemical industries grew
which new metals were mined for first time under 25yp
copper, zinc and tin
25yp: steel output
x2
25yp: coal production
x2
what was the soviet union by 19927
virtually self sufficient in metal goods and machine tools
why did the focus of second 5 year plan change slightly in 1936
greater emphasis placed on rearmament
4% 1933 17% 1937
which industries failed to meet its targets under 5 year plans
oil production no appreciable increase in consumer goods (some expansion in footwear and food processing)
which emphasis continued into 25yp
quantity rather than quality
aims of third 5yp
- focus on development of heavy industry
- promote rapid rearmament
- complete transition to communism
third 5yp: main beneficiary
heavy industry, strong growth in machinery and engineering
third 5yp: spending of what doubled 1938-40
rearmament
what adverse effect did increased spending on rearmament have (3rd)
steel production stagnated, oil failed to meet targets (fuel crisis) and many industries found themselves short of raw materials
third 5yp: what was relegated to lowest priority
consumer goods
third 5yp: what was the biggest problem
dearth of good managers, specialists and technicians following stalins purges, exceptionally hard winter and diversion of funds
why did third 5yp finish early
german invasion 1941
first 5yp
1928-32
second 5yp
1933-37
third 5yp
1938-42
central planning system: who were priorities in planning established by
party
central planning system: what were laid down by party
output targets and labour norms
central planning system: how were instructions passed down to industrial managers
through bureaucratic layers
central planning system: what was meant by managers having to ‘balance the books’
paying for fuel, raw materials and labour from their enterprises income
central planning system: what could managers who failed to meet targets find themselves accused of
wrecking
central planning system: who were bonuses paid to
enterprises that exceeded targets
what were changes in agricultural organisation seen as a prerequisitie for
rapid industrialisation
why was surplus grain needed
for export and to enable the purchase of industrial equipment and to feed a growing industrial workforce
what did stalins great turn involve a move towards
collective frming
what was hoped of collectives
would provide for more efficient farming, give more opportunity for mechanisation, make grain collection easier and socialise the peasants
what did stalin believe that some of grain procurement problems were caused by
the kulaks, who understood how to make money by holding back supplies
what did stalin announce in December 1929
that he would annihilate the kulaks as a class
what were the red army and cheka used for
to execute, identify or deport the kulaks
how did some peasants try to avoid being labelled as kulaks
by killing their livestock and destroying their crops- added to rural probems
in January 1930, stalin announced that what percentage of grain farming areas were to be collectivised that year
25%
what did collectivisation go hand in hand with
the destruction of the kulaks, whos treatment was designed to frighten poorer peasants into joining kolkhoz collectives
march 1930, what percentage of peasants households had been collectivied
58%
why was a brief return to voluntary collectiiviasation permitted until after the harvest had been collected in 1930
the speed of collectivisation created hostility
stalin accused party members of becoming dizzy with success
what happened upon the return to voluntary collectivisation 1930
numbers immediately began to fall back
October 1930, only around 20% households still collectivised
collectivisation stage one
1929-30
collectivisation stage 2
1930-41
how did the second stage of collectivisation proceed
at a slower pace and accompanied by the establishment of 2500 machine tractor stations
why were mts introduced
to provide seed and maintain the hire machinery to the kolkhozes
mts secondary purpose
to ensure quotas were collected and to control countryside by dealing with trouble makers
problems with dekulakisation
inhumane and removed 10 million of the most successful farmers
why did livestock numbers not exceed pre-collectivisaion until 1953
grain and livestock destroyed by peasants
what did unrealistic procurement quotas lead to
peasants being forced to hand over almost all of their grain in some areas
why were the collectives poorly organised
the party actitivsts who helped establish them knew nothing of farming
too few tractors, insufficient animals to pull plouhs and lack of fertilisers
why was there a famine in spring 1932 in the Ukraine
October 1931 dought and kulak deportations
what happened to anyone who stole from a collective under a law of august 1932
could be jailed for 10 yeara
what did further decrees give 10 year sentences for
any attempt to sell meat or grain before quotas were filled, and internal passports were brought in to stop peasants leaving collectives
what did peasants refer to collectivisation as
second serfdom
why did peasants see little incentive to work hard
never received share o profits of collective farm they were promised
what was the peasants only interest and why
their private plots as they could grow goods to sell in the market place
how did the state seem to achieve its purpose in promoting collectivisation overall
the industrial workforce was fed and exports of grain increased
who were the agricultural improvements at the cost of
the peasants themselves
