Changes in industrial organisation from Stalin to Khrushchev

Question 1

How was industrial organisation under Stalin?
(workers)

Answer 1

Stalin’s 5-year plans increased the workforce to 77 million
however, managers prefer to play safe and hide their productive capacity as they didn’t want to increase their targets for the next year

in this way the economy was modernised but lost initiative

WWII destroyed 70% of its industrial capacity

Question 2

What changes did Khrushchev in industrial organization?
(Decentralisation + economic regions)

Answer 2

Khrushchev began Decentralisation
he divided the USSR into 105 economic regions with its own local economic Councils called the Sovnarkhoz
→ this extended Khrushchev’s patronage network in the localities
→ Khrushchev also did this to cut unnecessary bureaucracy and save communism which was under threat of being discredited by economic problems

Question 3

What was the focus of Khrushchev’s 7-year plan? (1961-65)

Answer 3

Khrushchev’s 7-year plan focused on improving standards of living which he achieved through a 40hr week + 40% increase in wages + increase in consumer goods

Khrushchev’s 7-year plan also focused on overtaking the West
he electrified and expanded the railways
Khrushchev made major advancements in space whilst competing with the USA
Such as sending the 1st human to space in 1963