ECONOMY & SOCIETY UNDER KHRUSHCHEV

Question 1

What aim did Khrushchev have against the USA?

Answer 1

Competed in the Space Race, which required much more investment.

Question 2

What did Khrushchev want more emphasis placed on?

Answer 2

Chemical industry and consumer goods.

Question 3

What did Khrushchev regard himself as?

Answer 3

An agricultural expert.

Question 4

What did Khrushchev announce in 1953 to the Central Committee?

Answer 4

That grain stocks under Stalin were lower than under the Tsars.

Question 5

What did Khrushchev create in 1959?

Answer 5

The 7 Year Plan in 1959 - with more realistic targets.

Question 6

What did Khrushchev set up?

Answer 6

Regional economic councils in 105 areas to take the place of national ministries.

Question 7

How were living standards affected by Khrushchev’s aims?

Answer 7

Increase in housing and communal flats of Stalin’s day were abandoned.

Question 8

How did transport improve under Khrushchev?

Answer 8

Tracks electrified and new train lines in ‘Virgin Lands’, to transport grain and agricultural products.

Question 9

What was introduced in 1955? What was introduced in 1956-9?

Answer 9

A sixth 5YP, but scrapped for being too optimistic.

In 1956-9 7 year plan was introduced.

Question 10

Who became the first man in space? What year?

Answer 10

Yuri Gagarin, 1961.

Question 11

What did Khrushchev devolutionise?

Answer 11

Powers to the republics, which strengthened Party control and decreased ministry control.

Question 12

What did Khrushchev hope the reorganisation of the economy would achieve?

Answer 12

More realistic planning and more progress. Had to breakdown resistance from planners who had been trained to believe consumer goods were of little importance.

Question 13

What campaign did Khrushchev launch?

Answer 13

The Virgin Lands Campaign.

Question 14

What was the Virgin Lands campaign designed to do?

Answer 14

Plough up vast areas of virgin and fallow land in Kazakstan, the Urals and Siberia for grain.

Question 15

How many Konsomol volunteers were there for the Virgin Lands campaign?

Answer 15

300,000.

Question 16

How much of the Virgin Lands had been cultivated by 1956?

Answer 16

35.9 million hectares.

Question 17

What happened to the harvest in 1956?

Answer 17

Largest in Soviet history, over half of the 125 million tons came from Virgin Lands.

Question 18

What was the result of the Virgin Lands campaign by 1963?

Answer 18

The grain harvest was disastrous, with a drop of nearly one-third of the expected grain output.

Question 19

What was the long-term issue of the Virgin Lands campaign?

Answer 19

The scheme had been poorly managed and poorly planned.

Question 20

What did Khrushchev claim in 1957 regarding the Virgin Lands campaign?

Answer 20

The USSR would catch up with the USA in per capita meat output by 1960.

Question 21

Give an example of another agricultural change that occurred in 1958.

Answer 21

MTS Stations abolished. Kolkhozy now had to buy machinery.

Question 22

Why were Khrushchev’s more radical and innovative policies a failure?

Answer 22

Due to lack of co-operation from senior Communist party officials and bureaucrats.

Question 23

What was the issue with the highly bureaucratic Soviet ‘system’?

Answer 23

Too cumbersome to allow for reforms to be implemented quickly enough.

Question 24

What did Khrushchev fail to realise about some of his policies?

Answer 24

Some communist party members may have felt threatened by the changes made.

Question 25

When was there a significant fall in grain production?

Answer 25

1963.

Question 26

What radical changes did Khrushchev make to the industrial infrastructure?

Answer 26

By focusing on the establishment of light industries.

Question 27

What did Khrushchev have to prioritise, potentially over economic and social change?

Answer 27

Political problems, such as the ending of gulags and the placing of the NKVD under the control of party and state.

Question 28

What did Khrushchev create in 1957? What did these do?

Answer 28

In 1957, the Sovnarkhozy was created, with 105 regional councils given control over economic development

Question 29

What was seen socially from 1955-1964?

Answer 29

Rapid housing construction programme which doubled the number of homes in the USSR.

Question 30

Where is there evidence of censorship?

Answer 30

1956 – Dr Zhivago – rejected as against the revolution.

Question 31

How many books were being published per year by the late 1950s?

Answer 31

Nearly 65,000.

Question 32

What was one instance in which Khrushchev was repressive in his censorship policy?

Answer 32

Dr Zhiavigo.

Question 33

What did 1958 see the abolition of?

Answer 33

Tuition fees.

Question 34

What did the 1961 New Party Programme show?

Answer 34

Khrushchev remained a ‘true believer’ in Communism.

Question 35

What did Khrushchev believe had already been created?

Answer 35

Socialism, on its way to Communism.

Question 36

How much did meat consumption increase?

Answer 36

55%

Question 37

What was also notable about agriculture?

Answer 37

Maize Obsession.