1928-41 Flashcards
Give a piece of evidence that suggests Lenin didn’t exercise personal rule
When Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922 the Soviet government continued to function with the politburo making decisions
1941 - Stalin leaves to the summer house for days - over meant unable to function
Give 4 facts that demonstrate how Industrilistation was transformative 1928-41
Coal production quadrupled 1927-40
1926 - USSR was 18% urban, 1939 - was 33% (Though Britain was 77% urban in 1900)
By 1940, Russia had built an effective command economy and was able to outproduce the Germans in tanks, artillery and aircraft in the pivotal years of 1940
By 1937 Russia was the largest producer pf hydroelectricity in Europe and Asia
Give 4 facts that demonstrate how Industrilistation was limited 1928-41
Outputs were consistently over-estimated and fabricated by officials to achieve targets. Quality was often sacrificed for quantity - lowering the quality of life until 1989. Worker casualty rates were horrific.
The victory against Germany should not be seen as absolute proof that industrialisation had worked. It had taken the USSR 3.5 years and 10 million deaths to defeat a nation less than half its size
Needed massive industrial support from the USA to outperform Germany (400,000 trucks given)
Economic planning and industrial progress were hampered by the Great Terror. Economic chaos caused by the great terror explains why the war started so badly
Give 4 facts that demonstrate how peasant life was transformed 1928-41
Although a brief retreat in 1930 summer collectivisation was very thorough.
March 1930 - 50% rural households collectivised. 1937 - 93%
8.5 million excess deaths between 1927-36, Majority in the countryside - highlighting state control over peasant life. Kulas made up over half victims 1936-8
By 1939, 19 million had left the countryside to work on towns and cities
State control of countryside dramatically increase - NKVD agents placed at every tractor station
Give 4 facts that demonstrate how peasant life was LESS transformed 1928-41
1913-40 agricultural production per capita didn’t improve at all. Collective farming failed to modernise or motivate peasantry. productivity higher under NEP
Use of technology and machinery = failure. Equipment neglected and not enough tractors bult. 1940 - still common to see ploughs pulled by humans
1937 state relented and allowed peasants small private gardens. Less than 3% of land was soon producing 50% of the country’s vegetables - not socialist
1946 famine killed 1.5 million. Highlights how little improvement the agriculture system had experienced after nearly 20 years fo reform
Why were the farms collectivised
Economic need to industrialise - feed the industrial workforce and present peasant hoarding
Ideological need - to move towards socialism in the countryside and assert more control, anhiliate the kulaks
POLITICAL DESIRE TO ENHANCE STALIN’S INDIVIDUAL POWER BASE - opportunity to eliminate those on Politburo who supported NEP
Give evidence of peasant resistance to collectivisation in the first stage (1939-30)
Burned crops and slaughtered livestock. 30% of cattle, pigs and sheep killed
So much resistance that Stalin announced voluntary collectivisation in summer of 1930 - dropped from 50-20% of collectivisaed rural households
By March 1930…% of rural households were collectivised
58
By 1939, over…% rural households were collectivised
95%
Give some successes of collectivisation stage 2
Exports of grain increased and the industrial workforce expanded as many fled to the cities - no more urban famine
Give some failures of collectivisation stage 2
Grain output did not reach pre-collectivisation levels until 1935
Unrealistic quotas led to peasants giving almost all their grain causing rural hunger
1932 famine was one of the worst in Russian history. Killed 5-10 million
profits on the collectives were non-existent so peasants had no incentive to work hard. Only interested in their private plots.
DIDN’T SOCIALISE THE PEASNASTS
Give 3 similarities in the political authority exercised by Lenin and Stalin
BOTH ATTEMPTED TO LIMIT OPPOSITION WITHIN + OUTSIDE THE PARTY
- Lenin’scosntitution of 1918 only permitting existence of one party was similar to Stalin’s 1936 constitution that only allowed communist candidates ti stand for election
- Like Stalin, Lenin conducted a purge on party members expelling 150,000 in 1921
BOTH ALTERED MARXIST DOCTRINE TO SUIT THEIR OWN AIMS
LENIN OVERSAW THE INCREASE IN THE PARTY’S POLITICAL AUTHORITY - LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF STALIN’S PERSONAL DICTATORSHIP
Give 3 DIFFERENCES in the political authority exercised by Lenin and Stalin
Lenin had tolerated vigorous debate within the party - had been outvoted on key decisions like strategy for ending WWI. Even after Ban of Factions, unable to prevent debate on NEP and Georgia’s repression
Stalin crushing opposition much more widespread and paranoid. No leading party member lost their life under Lenin, compared with Stalin’s great purges and execution of 600,000 members
Under Lenin, there had been a dictatorship of the party, but now there was a personal dictatorship where Stalin was above the Pary and no longer dependent of it. LENIN’S USE OF TERROR WAS TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THE REGIME. STALIN WAS O ENSURE HIS OWN POLITICAL AGGRANDISMENT
When Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922, the Soviet government continued to function with the Politburo making decisions. When Stalin suffered a breakdown I 1941, the state was paralysed
Sum up Lenin’s use of terror
Used it to achieve the reveloution
Targeted at specific individuals
Give 3 examples of Lenin’s terror
Terror against the bourgouisiese + Kulaks - mass looting of wealth and forced grain requisitioning under war communism
Establishment of Cheka - 15,000 men arrested at Krondsat uprising
1921 ban of factions - 150,000 Blshevikmembers purged (but not killed)
Who was terrorised in phase 1 (1928-32)
Peasants
Kulaks
Social enemies (bourgoise)
How was Phase 1 terror achieved
Collectivisation and Dekulakisation ed to huge forced deportations (1.6m 1931) and some executions for resistance
Gulag system developed. Camps of an average of 50,000 prisoners utilised to exploit Russia’s resources
1928 show trials exemplified the purge of bourgeois managers. Specialists and engineers were accused of sabotage and became scapegoats for any economic failures
Quote Stalin on the use of terror
“The people need a Tsar”
Who was terrorised in Phase 2 terror 1932-36
Party elite opposition groups - Ryutin and Smirnov + Kirov
Give two opposition groups forming in the party elite in 1932
- Informal group of old Bolshevuksm including Smirnov discovered holding meetings discussing Stalin’s removal. Arrested
- Rightest group known as the Ryutin platform disagreed with the political direction of the Party and Stalin’s leadership.
Ryutin appealed to the Central Committee to remove Stalin - some of these papers discovered in Stalin’s wife’s room when she died.
What is Orland Figes view of Pahse 2 terror
Sees the suicide of Stalin’s wife Nadezhda as a turning point that “unhinged” Stalin, who ceased trusting his closest allies
What happened to Ryutin platform
Stalin demanded execution but Politburo overruled him demonstrating Stalin’s less than total power
Expelled 24 members
Ryutin was given 10-year imprisonment but later shot in 1937 under Stalin’s orders
By 1933, Stalin had announced a general purge of the party and by 1935 had expelled …% of Party members as…………..
18
Ryunites
What split emerged in the party in 1934
Those who wanted to pursue current pace of industrialisation led by Stalin
Majority who wanted an end of grain seizures and increase of moderation - Kirov’s speech received standing ovation.
What happened to Kirov and what wad the effect
Murdered in Dec 1934 by Party member
Stalin utilised it as an opportunity to present this as a Trotskyite conspiracy
1935 - 250,000 party members were expelled
Who was phase 3 terror levied at 1936-38
Almost everyone - “anti-soviet elements in society”
How did Stalin overcome high profile communist leaders in phase 3 terror
Series of show trials after NKVD torture of high profile communist leaders who then accepted execution
What happened in 1937 (phase 3)
Politburo condemned “anti-soviet elements” and drew up a list of 250,000 artists, writers and scientists to be arrested
Who was Yezhov and what did he create
Led the NKVD (1936-38)
Local quota system designed and each region required to find a pre-determined number of ‘opportunists’ for arrest
Citizens encouraged to watch each other for evidence of opposition
Over…….of the 71 leading members of the Central Committee were arrested and…..in phase 3
2/3
Shot
Kulaks made up…% of all arrests in phase 3 and over half of…….
50%
Executions
What was the effect of phase 3 terror on army
Over 50% of entire officer corps tried and many shot
Why did the Great Terror end in 1938
Threatened to cause the collapse of the state, industry and administration as the purges to a dynamic of their own
Stalin wanted to ensure he was not personally blamed so Yezhov became the scapegoat
Stalin was now the undisputed leader of the USSR as he had removed all of his rivals
Give some evidence of religion being restricted by Soviet rule
1929 - Sundays abolished with different days of for each worker
1918 -21 Russian orthodox priests were attacked as enemies of the people and 8,000 executed for not handing over valuables
1929 - Christian worship restricted to registered congregation only
By 1941, 25,000 mosques had been closed to make way for Soviet institutions
Give a counterpoint to suggest faith wasn’t completely decimated
Still 57% of population believers by 1937
What was the Socialism meant to look like (3)
Rid the USSR of class sytems - create a classless society of socialists
Urbanisation would rid society of selfish capitalist attitudes and create a mentality of co-operation
Provide workers with the security, comfort and control of their own workplace (worker’s paradise)
In what ways were Lenin and Stalin’s socialist dreams realised in the USSR
Lenin’s decrees saw removal of tithes + privileges. Many middle-class people proletarianised themselves and kulaks destroyed
More town workers became factory managers and worker’s children benefited fro the opportunities Stalinist Russia provided
19m peasants fled to the cities which double the urban population by 1932
The Stakhonvite movement highlighted that there was some genuine enthusiasm for the kind of self-sacrifice communism required
In what ways did Lenin and Stalin’s fail at their socialist dreams
New class system created - important people within the communist party became the new nobility and had access to cheaper goods and luxuries not available to ordinary workers
Stakhonvite movement create da new proletarian elite of highly productive and well-rewarded workers
Lenin’s 1917 decree removing factory hierarchy was short-lived as workers could not self-manage factoriues
Stalin’s 5-year plan increased working hours (7-day working week) and illegalised strikes
Wages lower than in 1913 and living standards in cities stagnated
When did the Five Year Plan start
How many were there
1928
3
What did the 5-year plan consist of
Centrally planned command economy - making goverment responsible for economic co-ordination
Output targets established - failure to meet the targets was a criminal offence
What were the priorities of the first two 5 year plans
Very ambitious targets to increase industrial production by 300%
Heavy industry = major focus (oil, machinery, coal, iron)
What was the impact of the first two Five Year plans on coal production
Output quadrupled
During the first two Five Year plans iron production………..
By 1937, USSR almost……………….in metal goods
Doubled
Self-sufficient
During the first two Five Year plans steel production………..and electricity…………..
Quadrupled
Trebled
Name the Russian hydroelectric dam built in 1934
Dnieprotori
Biggest in Europe
Give two examples of quality of life-improving during During the first two Five Year plans
1935 - Moscow metro opens
Some limited expansion in footwear and food processing
Give 3 examples of the quality of life stagnating during the first two five year plans
Consumer industries such as house building were neglected
Emphasis on quantity, not quality led to waste and low-quality goods
No significant increase in consumer goods because heavy industry prioritised
Other than the stagnation of Quality fo Life, give two other failures of the first two five year plans
Shortage of skilled workers made the expansion of labour-intensive heavy industries much easier than technical ‘light’ industries and consumer goods manufacture
Output statistics were often doctored to show huge improvements which became new impossible targets. None of the targets actually met
How did the spending on arms change across the whole period
From 1936 - greater focus on treatment
ROse form 4% GDP in 1933 to 17% by 1937
What was the focus of the Third FIve Year Plan
Increased focus on heavy industry for fear of war
Promoted rapid rearmament
Give two failures of the Third Five Year Plan
Focus on rearmament meant other areas stagnated such as steel. Oil production failed to meet targets which caused a fuel crisis + many industries short of raw materials
Biggest = lack of skilled workers and specialists following Stalin’s purges
When did the NEP end
December 1927
Give 4 reasons why the NEP was halted in order of signifignace
POLITICAL POWER STRUGGLE
- Opposing the NEP was an effective way of isolating his final opponent Bukharin
-Wanted to be associated with an effective economic policy
FEAR OF FOREIGN INVASION
- History showed that Stalin would feed a much stronger base to defend against foreign attack
- Foreign support to whites in civil war implied the West wanted an end to communism
IDEOLOGICAL COMMITMENT TO SOCIALISM
- increase in the number of workers would make the proletariat larger which was the backbone of communist support
ECONOMIC GROWTH
- NEP not producing the anticipated economic growth and Stalin keen to increase USSR’s military strength
Give a quote form Yezhov on the Great terror
“Better too far than not far enough”
Quote historian Montefiore on the terror and denunciations
“Once the terror was unleashed, denunciations worked like kerosene on a fire, keeping it flaring up”
Give a link between the great Terror and the failure of the Third Five Year Plans
Loss of management and technical expertise
Donbas area in Ukraine produced 80% coal. But in 1938, 1/4 of all managers in the region’s mines were arrested as ‘wreckers’. Coal production fell dramatically
Highlight the effect of the Terror on public resolve
Letter writing (ordinary soviet citizens criticise Soviet policy) was very widespread. Stalin initially encouraged it
However, under Great terror, majority of crucial letters became anonymous
Quote the historian Shelia Fitzgerald on the Terror and back it up
“The terror was not a terror for everyone”.
Many people not personally affected - believed conspiracy theories that justified the state’s violence
Particularly workers who resented their bosses and poor Russians who blamed ‘careerists’ for their poverty + lack of opportunities. Willing to believe enemies of the revolution really existed
Some used terror to their own advantage - scientists and writers denounced their rivals to forward their own careers
Give a joke form the time to highlight Russians utilising denunciations to better themselves
“I denounced Galkin, then found out Balkin had a bigger flat”
