Economy and Society Flashcards
Why did the first five year plan focus on heavy industry?
Lay the foundation for future industrial development and rearmament in the case of war
Which industry did the 5YP neglect?
Consumer goods
What was the term used to describe how Gosplan had set targets with no idea on how to achieve them?
“Target mania”
What does a “command economy” mean?
Production based on number targets
What lengths did managers go to in order to fulfil these targets?
• Lied about production numbers
• Hijacked lorries and ambushed trains from other factories to steal supplies
What were the failures of the first five year plan?
• “Bottlenecks” due to shortage of materials
• Railways couldn’t cope with the amount they needed to transport
• Products usually of poor quality
• Didn’t fulfil targets
• Underproduction AND overproduction = wastage of materials
What were the successes of the first five year plan?
Coal:
35.4 -> 64.3 million tonnes
Oil:
11.7 -> 21.4 million tonnes
Steel:
4 -> 5.9 million tonnes
What specific case struck fear amongst managers?
Shakty coal mine managers were accused of “sabotaging the regime”
5 were executed
Why was collectivisation introduced?
• More efficient farming
• Required less workers = could send more to the cities
• Grain surpluses to sell overseas
• To “socialise the peasantry” and eradicate the kulak population
Which years experienced famine?
1928
1930
1932-33
How many died as a result of famine during the collectivisation period?
8-10 million
How many died in the Ukrainian Holodomor famine?
5 million
Rumours that it was purposeful
How many Kulaks were killed in an attempt at Dekulakization?
3 million
Did Stalin achieve collectivisation?
1939:
99% of land collectivised
90% of peasants lived on one of the 250,000 kolkhoz
What were the successes of collectivisation?
• Grain production rose to 100 million tonnes in 1937 -> could sell over seas
• 17 million peasants migrated to work in cities and towns
How were workers punished under Stalin?
• Absenteeism -> fined, lost ration cards, dismissal
• Labour books had to be carried around by workers to record their work record
• Holidays banned in 1940
How did the Stakhanovite movement benefit the workers?
Hard workers were rewarded with cash prizes, holidays and free housing
What percentage of women took up the labour force in Leningrad?
44%
Paid less than men
How many peasants migrated to cities and towns following collectivisation?
17 million
