Economic and social developments but Khruschev

Question 1

How much of Russias industrial capactiy was destroyed by ww2

Answer 1

70%

Question 2

Which two institutions were established to keep eastern europe in line

Answer 2

Comecon and Cominform

Question 3

What was the 4th 5 year plan, how long did it last and what did it achieve

Answer 3

1946-50-Catch up with USA
Rebuild heavy industry and transport
Rebuild Ukraine(1/3 expenditure allocated there)
Used extensive reparations fomr east germany
Maintained wartime controls in industry-long hours, low wages, high targets
Achieved:
Became 2nd economic power to USA
Heavy industry targets met
Production doubled and urban workforce reached 77 million

Question 4

What was the 5th 5 year plan, how long did it last and what did it achieve

Answer 4

1951-55
Continuation of investment into heavy industry and transport
After ‘50, remarmament took place due to the korean war
After ‘53 under Malenkov, increase in consumer goods and housing spending and diverted from rearmament

Achieved:
By 1952, Russian output was double that in 1941
National income increased 71%
But Malenkov was met with opposition and stepped down in ‘56

Question 5

What were issues with the Stalinist system of running the economy

Answer 5

Ministers in Moscow, detatched from reality set targets, and as the USSR economy grew more complicated, this began to fail
Too few administrators
Exceeding targets was rewarded, but targets were then raised, incentivising managers to play it safe
Targets assessed by weight, so denser goods rewarded more???

Question 6

Why waas the 6th 5 year plan abandoned in 2 years

Answer 6

Too ambitious targets

Question 7

When did Khruschev move forward with decentralisation and how

Answer 7

1957
USSR divided into 105 economic regions
60 Moscow ministries abolished
Rural and Urban authorities split at all levels
(Had added benefit of diluting power, expecially malenkovs, and making sure no one else had enough power to contest Khruschev)

Question 8

When did the 7 year plan begin

Answer 8

1959

Question 9

What was declared in the 7 year plan

Answer 9

Became the 7th 5 year plan-1961-65
promised a 40 hour work week and 40% wage increase by 1965
Aimed to catch up to USA by 1970
Improved chemical and consumer industries, as well as housing
Greater exploitation of natural resources

Question 10

Space

Answer 10

1st satellite-sputnik-1957
1st dog-laika-1957
1st man-Yuri Gagarin-1961
1st women-Valentina Tereshkova-1963

Question 11

When was Khruschevs decentralisation system abandoned

Answer 11

1965-as soon as he was ousted

Question 12

How much of the 1946 harvest did the state procure

Answer 12

70%

Question 13

What were the issues with the 4th and 5th five year plans in agriculture

Answer 13

4th-Followed Lysenkos ideas-wrong
Half output still came from private plots
Lagged behind industry
5th-High procurement levels maintained
Agricultural production not at 1940 levels
Virgin lands scheme somewhat of a failure

Question 14

What were Khrushchevs agricultural reforms

Answer 14

Paid peasants more for grain (25% more from 53 to 56)
Quotas and taxes reduced
Peasants who did not posess meat no longer required to supply meat to the state

Question 15

When were the Machine tractor stations abolished

Answer 15

1958

Question 16

What was the virgin lands scheme

Answer 16

Move peasants to siberia to put new land under the plough

Question 17

How much land was cultivated under virgin lands

Answer 17

35.9 million hectares, =to total cultivated area of canada

Question 18

What good did Khrushchev try to switch the USSR staple crop to and did it succeed

Answer 18

Maize-no- climate not good enough

Question 19

Why did the virgin lands scheme fail

Answer 19

Climate not taken into account
Land was eroded due to a lack of crop rotation, and became unfarmable

Question 20

How much was the rouble devalued in 1947

Answer 20

90%

Question 21

What were some positives in social life in post ww2 russia

Answer 21

Living standards improved, esp. under Khrushchev with access to labour saving devices.
Taxation was reformed
Introduction of 40 hour working week
However, standards still well below the west

Question 22

What accompanied DeStalinisation

Answer 22

A thaw in how the USSR behaved with the west
Allowed international tourists and cultural and sports tours were announced
U turn from the Zhdanovshchina-e.g. Shotakovich rehabilitated

Question 23

Where and when did Pasternak have to ahave Dr Zhivago printed

Answer 23

1957 Italy

Question 24

What was Khrushchevs behavior towards ethnic minorities

Answer 24

At the 1961 party congress, it was stated minorities should assimilate and become one hegemonous ethnic group
Also a bit anti semitic and refused to allow them their own schools or emigrate to israel