Economic Developments, 1917-1941

Question 1

When was War Communism introduced?

Answer 1

1918

Question 2

Why was War Communism introduced?

Answer 2

Faced with a grain crisis during the civil war so started to requisition food

Question 3

What were the policies under War Communism?

Answer 3

• Cheka to take grain off the peasants to feed the army
• All private trade and manufacture was forbidden
• Encouraged collective farming
• Kulaks labelled enemies of the people
• Banks, railways, power companies nationalised
• Death penalty for strikes

Question 4

What was the impact of War Communism?

Answer 4

More communist. Peasants left with not enough grain. Workers lost their freedom. Disrupted production. Cholera. Low grain levels. Food crisis. Rations. Strikes.

Question 5

Why was the NEP brought in?

Answer 5

War Communism had failed - strikes and riots. Kronstadt soldiers rebelled - worrying.

Question 6

When was the NEP brought in?

Answer 6

1921

Question 7

What was Gosplan?

Answer 7

Established by the Sovnarkom. The State General Planning Commission - coordinate economic development.

Question 8

What were the policies under the NEP?

Answer 8

Rations ended. Grain requisition stopped. Peasants allowed to sell a surplus for profit. Allowed private ownership of small businesses.

Question 9

What happened as a result of the NEP?

Answer 9

Peasants responded more quickly than workers. Created a scissor crisis (1923)

Question 10

What was meant by the scissor crisis?

Answer 10

Lots of grain produced but lack of industrial goods.

Question 11

Why did Stalin need to make agricultural changes?

Answer 11

To allow for rapid industrialization. Surplus grain to be exported for money to purchase industrial equipment. Ideological beliefs. Wanted control of the countryside. Scissors crisis - peasants lost incentive.

Question 12

What policy did Stalin bring in to make agricultural changes?

Answer 12

Collectivization.

Question 13

What were the main policies under collectivization?

Answer 13

Forced peasants to join collective farms - controlled by the state. Would seize their grain. Agricultural machinery could be bought and shared - increase efficiency.

Question 14

What as meant by the term the Great Turn?

Answer 14

More from NEP to collectivisation and the 5 year plans

Question 15

What was a Kolkhoz?

Answer 15

Collective operative by a number peasant families

Question 16

Who did Stalin blame grain procurement problems on? What did he do?

Answer 16

Kulaks. ‘Annihilate the Kulaks as a class’. They were executed or deported - dekulakisation

Question 17

Why were 15% of households destroyed between 1929 - 1941?

Answer 17

Peasants destroyed livestock and crops to avoid being classed as Kulaks

Question 18

How did Stalin enforce the policy of Collectivisation?

Answer 18

Secret police, army and Party work brigades - forced peasants into forms. Propaganda used. Established 2500 machine tractor stations used to control trouble makers.

Question 19

Why was there a brief period of voluntary collectivisation?

Answer 19

Because there was lots of hostility

Question 20

What were the advantages of Collectivisation?

Answer 20

Exports of grain increased. More control of the countryside. New technology. Number of collective farms grew.

Question 21

What were the disadvantages of Collectivisation?

Answer 21

‘Dekulakisation’ - inhumane, removed the most successful farmers. Grain and livestock destroyed. Unrealistic grain procurement goals - had to hand almost all of their grain. Grain output did not exceed pre-collectivization until after 1935. Poorly organised. Led to famine. Huge loss of life

Question 22

Why did Stalin need to make changes to industry?

Answer 22

Industry not producing enough. Move away from NEP. Threat of war - increase military strength.

Question 23

How did Stalin make workers and managers devote their maximum effort to the project?

Answer 23

Set ambitious targets. Propaganda. Strict discipline - by 1939 absenteeism could be punished by pay cuts.

Question 24

When was the First Five Year Plan?

Answer 24

1928 - 32

Question 25

What were the aims of the First Five Year Plan?

Answer 25

Increase production by 300%. Develop heavy industry. Boost electricity by 600%. Double light industry output

Question 26

What happened under the First Five Year Plan?

Answer 26

Publicity - caused enthusiasm. None of the major targets were met but still a massive increase. Electricity output trebled, coal and iron output doubled. Industrial complexes such as Magnitogorsk sprang up.

Question 27

When was the Second Five Year Plan?

Answer 27

1933 - 1937

Question 28

What were the aims of the Second Five Year Plan?

Answer 28

Continue heavy industry development. New emphasis on light industry. Develop communication links. Boost engineering.

Question 29

What happened under the Second Five Year Plan?

Answer 29

Some success. Moscow metro - 1935. Dam - producing hydroelectric power. Heavy industry, electric and chemical grew. Oil production failed to grow. Focus on quantity over quality.

Question 30

When was the Third Year Plan? Why was it cut short?

Answer 30

1938 - 1942. World War II - German Invasion.

Question 31

What were the aims of the Third Five Year Plan?

Answer 31

Focus on heavy industry (fear of war). Promote rapid rearmament. Transition to communism.

Question 32

What happened under the Third Five Year Plan?

Answer 32

Heavy industry, machinery and engineering grew. Consumer goods the lowest priority. Lack of good managers, specialist and technicians following Stalin’s purges.

Question 33

What were the positive impacts of the Five Year Plans?

Answer 33

Stopped German invasion as a result. New iron company the biggest in Russia - Magnitogorsk. Some enthusiastic about the move to communism. Production increased. Dragged Russia into the modern age.

Question 34

What were the negative impacts of the Five Year Plans?

Answer 34

Cost of lives. Industrial complexes - no roads, sewage systems, housing and little food. Hard and dangerous work. Not enough materials. Unrealistic goals. Broken machinery left unrepaired. Accused of wrecking (false). Element of fear.