2.2 impact of 5 yr plans and collectivisation under Stalin

Question 1

5 year plans and industrial change

Answer 1

• designed to break away from NEP and return to capitalism
• wanted to bring rapid industrialisation and modernise the economy
• wanted to get rid of NEPMEN

Question 2

implementation of the 5 year plans

Answer 2

• businesses and shopkeepers forced to join state co-operatives

Question 3

first 5 year plan:

Answer 3

• 1928-1931
• rapid growth on heavy industry
• consumer industries were neglected

Question 4

second 5 year plan

Answer 4

• 1933-1937
• high targets set for consumer goods
• had to redirect because of war with Germany so heavy industry continued to be priority.

Question 5

third 5 year plan

Answer 5

• 1938
• geared even more towards arms production to meet threat of Germany.

Question 6

results of the first 5 year plan

Answer 6

• industrial expansion
• new plants were built but didnt make a significant impact on production
• big cities for production built 25-25000b ppl lived there e.g magnitorsk
• rewards to increase productivity
• used slave labour and labour camp prisoners e.g. white sea canal projectbut loads of people dies 10,000 in 1982.
• factory managers placed under extreme pressure to meet targets that were unrealistic
• quality was sacrificed. e.g. tractors broke down in 8 days after being made.

Question 7

result of 2nd and 3rd 5 year plans

Answer 7

SECOND
- original results impressive- learnt from previous mistakes
coal production rose substantially
- chemical industry made progress
- oil industry disappointing
- focussed on defence industry bc of military tension.
- new industrial plants in remoter areas of Russia like Kazakhstan to promote even distribution.
rapid growth in engineering industries
- enormous growth in industrial production
- some advantage in consumer goods

overall saw a period of 17% growth but was unbalanced

Question 8

reasons for agricultural collectivisation

Answer 8

link with industry
- modern economy base essential if USSR was to defend itself against an attack by capitalist powers
- industry would only be supported if it had an increase in agricultural production

economic case for collectivisation
- make economies of scale if the farms were grouped together
- more cost effective
- reduce labour requirements of agricultural production

Political
- help extend socialism to the countryside
- ensure survival of revolution
- provided opportunity to get rid of the Kulaks

Question 9

explain the process of collectivisation

Answer 9

• December 1927- voluntary collectivisation but after food shortages it led to forced requisition of grain- Ural Siberian method.
• wanted to liquidate Kulaks as a class
• promises of increased mechanisation through tractors were introduced
• collective could seize animals, grain supplies and buildings once they had signed up
• kulaks would be deported away
• by 1932 62% of peasant households had been collectivised rising to 93% in 1937.

Question 10

what were the results of collectivisation

Answer 10

• machinery to collectives = slow
• many were without tractors until mid 1930’s so had to do it by hand
• removal of kulaks= damaging as the were the most productive
• damaged agricultural production
• slaughtering of animals from kulaks damaged livestock numbers- number of cattle halved between 1928 and 1933.
• shortage of meat and milk
• grain production fell from 73.3 million tonnes in 28 to 67.6 million tonnes in 1934.
• rural population starved
• widespread famine 1932-1933. People had to eat their own children - 4 million people dies in 1933.
• absence of horses and tractors
• grain production rose sluggishly after a fait=rly good harvest in 1933.

Question 11

recovery from war after 1945- what was the impact of the second world war on the Soviet economy

Question 12

explain the 4th year plan 1946-1950; economic reconstruction

Question 13

explain the 5th 5 year plan 1951-1955

Question 14

explain agriculture from recovering after the second world war