industrial and agricultural change in the USSR, 1917-1985 Flashcards
What were Lenin’s 4 main economic objectives in 1917?
- modernising
- consolidating power
- ending capitalism
- winning the civil war
When did the nationalisation of industry begin?
March 1918
When was state capitalism introduced?
March 1918
What soviet centralised control of nationalised industries? (and was supreme soviet of the economy)
The Vesenkha
What powers did the Vesenkha have over the economy?
- offered higher pay to productive workers
- put factories under management of well-paid specialists
- co-ordinated economic production to meet the needs of society
When was War Communism introduced?
June 1918
What were the 4 major economic measures of War Communism?
- nationalisation of all industry
- end of free market of food. Requisitioning of grain. Rationing (highest rations to soldiers and workers)
- labour discipline (11 hour work day, compulsory work for all men 16-50)
- money abolished - hyperinflation occurred
Consequences of War Communism?
- military victory at the expense of the economy
- industrial production fell, for example cotton stopped being grown in place of food crops, so cotton industry damaged
- damaged the incentives to work with no rewards
- famine in the countryside by 1920
How did the 1921 harvest compare to 1913?
It was only 46% of the 1913 harvest
Estimated deaths due to War Communism famine?
6 million
Change in workforce from 1917 - 1921 due to urban-rural migration?
2.6 million (1917)
to
1.2 million (1921)
When was the NEP introduced?
March 1921 at the 10th Party Congress
When did the NEP end?
After Lenin’s death in 1924
What were the main policies of the NEP? (3)
- farming left to the free market
- end of grain requisitioning
- small factories and workshops de-nationalised
Consequences of the NEP? (4)
- return to political and economic stability
- NEPmen, gambling, prostitution and drug dealing
- ended famine
- major electrification campaign to revive the industry
What was the ‘scissors crisis’?
How was it solved?
- Due to the NEP, agriculture was recovering much faster than industry thus food prices fell whilst industrial goods rose in price. This looked like scissors on a graph so Trotsky nicknamed it the scissors crisis.
- The government cut prices of industrial goods
How did the NEP impact the party?
- it wasn’t hugely popular
- the party was split into the right-wing who felt the NEP was necessary and the left-wing who felt it was allowing the re-emergence of capitalism. The centrists supported the NEP also for its role in rebuilding the economy
Role of Gosplan in the 5 year plans?
set targets for industrial growth for every factory, mine and workshop.
When was the first 5 year plan?
1928-1932
When was the second 5 year plan?
1933-1937
When was the third 5 year plan?
1938-1941
What were 4 reasons for the 5 year plans??
- ideological - Stalin wanted to abolish the capitalist market
- economic - the NEP had failed to create further industrialisation
- military - Stalin argued that Russia must industrialise to prepare for war with capitalist countries
- political - to gain support of the party’s left wing
How did Stalin see his economy? What was it actually?
Stalin saw it as a ‘planned’ economy but it was really more of a ‘command’ economy with the government in charge
Since the lists of targets set weren’t connected to what was actually needed by the country it wasn’t so much planned.
Stalin’s ideological motivation for 5 year plans quote:
‘we are 50 to 100 years behind the capitalist countries. We must close this gap in 10 years or they will crush us.’
Summary of first 5 year plan? 1928-32
- aimed to expand industry and collectivise agriculture.
- investment into iron and steel
Summary of second 5 year plan? 1933-37
- more consumer goods
- higher industrial production, planning and efficiency
- focus on improving infrastructure and transport links
Summary of third 5 year plan? 1938-41
- focused on war needs, armaments manufacture and defence
- this came at the expense of basic needs
How much did coal and steel production increase by up to 1941?
almost 5x
How much did oil production increase by up to 1941?
3x
When was the Stakhanovite movement introduced and for what reason?
During the first plan, to promote labour productivity.
Higher payments were given to most productive
What did productivity in major industries increase by during the 5 year plans?
25-50%
By 1940, how much of government spending went to the military?
1/3rd
How many military aircraft factories were built between 1939-41?
9
When did the Moscow Metro open?
1935