Economic Policy - Topic 1 GDR - KQ3

Question 1

What are the advantages of a Socialist Economy? (1 Advantage)

Answer 1

• Gov can harness economy to state needs

Question 2

What are the Disadvantages of a Socialist Economy? (3 Disadvantages)

Answer 2

• Quantity over Quality
  -Reduction in innovation and creativity
  -No Profit motives for workers

Question 3

When was the First Five Year Plan created and when did it end?

Answer 3

1951-55

Question 4

What were the aims of the first Five Year Plan? (2 Aims)

Answer 4

-Develop heavy industry, iron, steel, energy and chemical
-Increase living standards to pre- war levels.

Question 5

What were the Advantages of the First Five Year Plan? (1 Advantage)

Answer 5

-Output was increased of coal, iron, electricity and cement. So this was an overall success.
Adolf Honecker was an example of this as he increased his coal production by 400% and he was praised for it.

Question 6

What were the Disadvantages of the First Five Year Plan? (2 Disadvantages)

Answer 6

-Workers were under great pressure and had to work long hours
-Quantity rather than Quality

Question 7

When did the Second Five Year Plan start and end?

Answer 7

1956-59

Question 8

What were the aims of the Second Five Year Plan?

Answer 8

The aim was to focus on consumer goods and improving living standards

Question 9

What are the Advantages of the Second Five Year Plan? (1 Advantage)

Answer 9

-Increase in consumer goods available

Question 10

What are the Disadvantages of the Second Five Year Plan? (2 Disadvantages)

Answer 10

-Control tightened by SED
-Ulbricht’s call meant the plan was abandoned and a seven year plan was made instead

Question 11

When was the seven year plan created?

Answer 11

1959

Question 12

What was the aim of the seven year plan?

Answer 12

Aimed to increase the manufacturing of consumer goods by 200%

Question 13

Advatage of Seven year plan? (1 Advantage)

Answer 13

-Production Increased

Question 14

Disadvantages of the Seven Year Plan? (2 Disadvantages)

Answer 14

-Steel and Iron production fell way off target
-Living Standards impacted as workers had to increase productivity by 85%

Question 15

What happened to farmers land?

Answer 15

They were forced to forfeit their land and it was redistributed to peasants, small farmers and refugees

Question 16

What happened when farmers land was taken off them?

Answer 16

So 1/3 of GDR’s farmland was taken off farmers which resulted in them emigrating to the FRG during the early 1950’s

Question 17

What is Socialist Spring?

Answer 17

Socialist Spring was made in 1960 and it was a second attempt at collectivisation by forcfully taking farmers land. There were negatiely results as it just made farners migrate and led to the rationing of food items in 1961

Question 18

When was the June Revolt?

Answer 18

1953

Question 19

What is the June Revolt?

Answer 19

Ulbricht announced the need for workers to increase their productivity by 10% whilst their pay would remain uchanged. This led to 300 builders working on EG stalinee to go on strike on the 17th June. They were joined by thousands of people marching with them.
By next day the protests were widespread throughtout the GDR.

Question 20

Who did Ulbricht get help from?

Answer 20

Ulbricht appealed to the USSR for help and got 20,000 Soldiers and 600 tanks stationed in the GDR to suppress revolts. 20 people were killed and many injured.