Economic and Social developments Under Krushchev Flashcards
What effect had WW2 had on the economy?
- Destroyed 66% of industrial capacity
- added Strain of high military budget
- land lease ended abruptly in 1947
Why did Stalin deny financial aid from the USA to the Satellites states?
-Fear of western influence
How had WW2 balanced industry across Russia
- Scorched Earth - Moving industry east
- -> Previously western dominated
What were the aims of the 4th and 5th five year plan’s ?
- Catch up with the U.S
- Rebuild heavy industry
What were the results of the 4th and 5th five year plans?
- became 2nd to the U.S in terms of industrial capacity
- doubled production
- Urban work force increased
What was economic growth like by ‘53?
slowing down
What were the issues with the Stalinist system?
- Over planning
- Not enough administrators
- Avoided innovation for heightened targets (FYP)
- Output Targets were assessed by weight –> favoured heavy goods at the expense of consumer goods
How did Krushchev decentralise the economy?
-USSR divided into 105 economic regions. Economic council in each to manage economic affairs
How was Krushchev’s 7th Five year plan different?
Emphasis on improving living standards -40 hour working week and 40% wage rise by ‘65
Emphasis on technology. E.g many railway lines electrified- Moscow train lines
How had WW2 ravaged Agriculture?
Policy of scorched Earth destroyed western farming regions
->only 1/3 of farms were operational
Regarding Agriculture
what were the aims of the 4th and 5th FYP according to Agriculture
- revitalise barren land
- Force collective farms to deliver products to wheat fields
What were the results of the 4th and 5th year plan regrading agriculture?
State procured 70% of grain
–> Left the peasants with little
-Almost half of output still came from private plots
What did Krushchev pride himself on?
his Agricultural expertise and background
What dubious scientist did Krushchev favour on agriculture
Lysenko
How did Krushchev incentivize peasants to grow more produce?
- State procurement price were raised (25% form ‘53 to ‘56)
- State Quotas reduced
- Encouraged use of fertiliser and farm machinery -> more efficient (high yield)
What was the Virgin Lands scheme?
-Cultivation of untouched land to the east –> increase production.
How did the Virgin Lands scheme fail in the long term?
-land was worked too intensively without crop rotation –> soil erosion
=> Consequently the ground became infertile
What did the failings of the virgin lands force Krushchev to do?
-Forced to import grain from USA (national humiliation)
How else was Agriculture a failure (other than Virgin lands) under Krushchev ?
Despite obvious growth( ie meat production 2x)
- Officials frequently altering prices –> difficult for farmers to plan ahead
- Tractor loan scheme unsuccessful –> shortage of mechanics to repair
What was the Campaign for the aggrolites?
-Huge collective farms/towns. Attempt to replicate urban conditions of working and living, thus destroying old, conservative villages
–> never came to fruition
How does Krushchev contrast Stalin?
Carried out too many initiatives with little planning or thought
What were social problems inherited by Krushchev?
-Peasants sqeezed by qoutas economically
=>consumer goods in short supply
1947: devaluation of the rouble wiped people’s savings
What were some social improvements made under Krushchev?
-Consumer goods more widely available -imported goods appeared in shops
–New housing initiatives: prefabricated housing
=> To house the 20 million homeless after WW2
- max 40 hour week
- peasants eligible for a pension
What was Krushchev’s Thaw?
mid 50’s : repression and censorship were relaxed, and millions of political prisoners were freed.
What innequalities persisted
Party members (special privileges) => undermines egalitarian socialist society
What was Krushchev’s manifesto of change?
- Krushchev’s vision of communism
- Party open to all
- Party was more accountable to members (Bottom up ) Unlike Stalin years
How did Krushchev change housing?
- 1957 Programme to end housing
- cheap fabricated housing (108 million people moved into these)
=> quality of housing was poor and power outages were common.
How did Krushchev change education?
- raised school leaving age to 15
- Numbers going into higher education tripled
- Krushchev wanted to reduce snobbery of uni
What was Krushchev’s stance on religion?
-Wanted to revive militant atheism -similar to lenin
–> attacks on places of worship
