Economic Developments but Communist Flashcards
What was Lenins quip about industrialisation
Soviets+electrification=Communism
What, suprisingly, did Lenin speak out against moving towards too quickly in 1917
Socialism
In lenins ideal economic model, what was the first stage of Russias transition to Communism
State Capitalism-A system in which the state would oversee the economy but private markets would still be in control
What was set up in 1917 to supervise the economy
Veshenka (Council of the National Economy)
Why did Lenins decrees to allow the workers to run their own factories fail
They failed to organise their factories efficiently
Workers awarded themselves unsustainable pay rises
Cut up conveyor belts to make shoes
What began in 1918 to expand the states ‘RIght to Grain’
Food Requisitioning and also the beginning of collectivisation, although not many households complied
What happened to Kulaks as part of the food requistion programme
They had all their sotcks seized, and as a result hid their crops, grew less, and even murdered members of requisitioning squads-disincentivizing economic efficiency
By the end of 1920, what had happened to nearly all industries and buisnesses
Nationalisation
What was War Communism and why was it introduced
A draconian system of economic governance in which:
Working hours were extended
Rationing for pretty much everything introduced
Internal passports issued to prevent labour movements
All private trade and manufacture forbidden
It was introduced to maximise extraction of value from workers in the time of the Russian civil war
What were the failures of war communism
Production was decimated; Factory output was at around 20% of pre war levels
Disease was rampant; a typhus epidemic led to 3 million deaths in 1920
People fled cities to find food; Msocow and St petersburgs population roughly halved
No food outside of cities either, the 1921 harvest produced 48% of the 1913 harvest, leading to famine, and harsh requisitioning redcued grain supplies, a 1/3rd of agricultural land had been abandoned and cattle and horses slaughtered
How had Russias population fallen from 1913 to 1921
40 million from 170.9 million to 130.9 million
Where was the worst revolt of the early leninist period and how many troops needed to be deployed
Tambov region; 100,000 and the use of poison gas
Where did 30,000 sailors, who had been some of the staunchest supporters of the communist coup, stage a revolt, and what happened
Kronstadt naval base; The red army was sent in, taking 15,000 prisoners and shooting the leaders. They had sent a manifesto demanding the end of one party communist rule. This happened at the same time as the peak of the Tambov revolt and heavily disconcerted Lenin
What opposition group was set up within the communist party itself in the early 20s
The workers opposition, who demanded greater worker control and the removal of military discipline in factories
Dramatically opposed war communism
What did Lenin declare was the spark that caused a new economic direction, but what was it actually in all likelihood
The Kronstadt revolt, But it was probably the combination of all the troubles that war communism had bought about
(Famine, disease, strikes, death,)
What was established in 1921 to run the New Economic Plan(NEP)
Gosplan
Why was the NEP controversial
It was economically to the right, so despite support by Bukharin, Zinoviev and most of the leadership, many regarded it as ideological betrayal
What did the NEP now allow
Private ownership of smaller buinsesses, although large ones would still remain nationalised e.g. oil
Private trade was now permitted
Rationing was ended
Employers now had to pay workers from their profits, promoting efficiency
grain requisition ended, and although some was owed to the state as a tax, surplus was allowed to be sold
What was the 1923 scissors crisis, as coined by Trotsky
Huge increase in agricultural goods caused prices to fall dramatically, whilst increased income cause the price of industrial goods to spike massively. Then, the scarcity of industrial goods meant that peasants were likely to withold grain supplies.
How did the goverment solve the 1923 scissors crisis
They introduced price caps on industrial goods and imposed a monetary quota for taxation on peasants, forcing them to sell at least some of their grain
When were 1913 production levels once again reached in Russia
1926
Who were NEPmen
Merchants who travelled, becoming rich off of trading industrial and agricultural goods
In 1925, what did the 14th party congress call for
Transformation into an Industrial Economy
In 1926, what was decided to be continued despite concerns about investment levels into heavier industries
the NEP
In december 1927, what did Stalin decidefor the Soviet Economy
‘The Great Turn’. It was the end of the NEP and the beginning of the first 5 year plan
Why was the NEP discontinued in 1927
It was not beinging the Soviets necessary growth
There was a war scare in the late 1920s when the great powers cut off diplomacy with the USSR, meaning they wanted more armament and heavy industry investment, and reduce reliance in imports
Also suited Stalins personal style for centralised economy personally beholden to him
WHat was the first 5 year plan, when did it take place, and what did it achieve
1928-32
Double light industry production,
Invest in heavy industry (Iron, Steel)
Increase electricity by 600%
Only lasted 4 years because Stalin claimed the targets were met
Actually;
Electricity increased by 300%
Coal and Iron output doubled
Steel output increased by a 1/3
What was an example of an Engineering effort during the 1st 5 year plan
Magnitogorsk; A giant steel plant in the urals meant to house 150,000 people
What were the issues with the 1st 5 year plan
Light industry very neglected; targets not met
Consumer industries also neglected
Few skilled wokers and little effective centralization and control for efficient development
Smaller factories and workshops lost out in competition to the huge new state funded oens
What was the second 5 year plan, when did it take place, and what did it achieve
1933-37
Aimed to continue heavy industry development
Also tried to develop light and consumer industries
Boost engineering and tool making
Improve communications
What happened:
Steel output trebled
Coal production doubled
Electricity production and chemical industries grew rapidly
By 1937 the USSR was self sufficient in machine tools
However, oil remained under target and there was little attention paid to consumer goods
What changed in the 2nd 5 year plan from 1936
More of a focus on rearmament, growing from 4% GDP in 1933 to 17% by 1937
What were some of the engineering achievements from the 2nd 5 year plan
Moscow Metro-1935
Volga Canel-1937
What was the third 5 year plan, when did it take place, and what did it achieve
1938-42
Refocus on heavy industry(because of war)
Promote rapid rearmament
Finally achieve communism
Achieved:
Spending on war doubled between 1938 and 1940
Was disrupted by operation Barbarossa
Focus on war left other industries neglected, with consumer goods again being the lowest priority
Why were quotas from the 5 year plan unreliable
There was often overreporting, as managers were punished severely for failing to meet targets, so were incentivized to lie
What were the issues with the 3rd 5 year plan
Rearmament took resources away from other industries
There was a lack of high level managers and specialists because of the Stalinist purges
Exceptionally hard winter in 1938
Germans turned up :(
When did the great famine reach its peak, and how many did it kill
1921, approx. 5 million
What was Stalins agricultural policy
Collectivisation, beginning at the same party congress where the 5 year plans begin at the end of 1927
WHat was the social end goal of collectivisation
Destruction of the Kulaks as a class
How did Stalin refer to party members who had been too enthusiastic with collectivization
‘Dizzy with Success’
By 1930 how many households had been collectivised
58%
Why was a brief return to volutnary collectivisation permitted in early 1930
Too much hostility due to the level of change Stalin had enacted. Numbers immediately fell and at the end only 20% of households were collectivised
What was the ulterior motive in the establishemnt of 2500 Machine Tractor Stations
Nominallly to maintain and hire equipment to the Koholkozes
Actually to monitor, ensure quotas were collected and there were no troublemaker
What was a kholkhoz
Collective farms with quotas and public land that familys had to live on and farm, as well as a small private lot each
How many of the most successful farmers did ‘dekulakisation’ remove
10 million
WHat % of livestock were slaughtered in the collectisiation process
25-30%
What was the Holodomor and when did it happen
Huge famine to hit the grain producing areas of russia, particularly Ukraine in 1932-33. Possibly engineered by Stlin to dampen opposition and independence movements in Ukraine
What % of Soviet food came from the private plots on collectivised farms
around 50% of vegetables and 70% of meat and milk
