Industrial and Social Developments in Towns and Cities Flashcards
how did Stalin choose to advance his economic programmes for the industry?
through a series of ‘Five Year Plans’ which set attainment targets for industrial enterprises
what was given the responsibility for drawing up the plans and establishing output targets
gosplan
what was gosplan
the state planning agency
what was it gosplan’s job to do
to ensure that the overall economic objectives of the Five Year plans were met, by matching input against output.
what did Gosplan suffer from
a lack of reliable information (particularly on the cost of imports or the price that exports might command)
what did Gosplan have to plan for
many variable and changing commodities
what was the issue with targets set
they were usually very ambitious
what was the purpose of setting ambitious targets
they were intended to force managers and workers to devote their maximum effort to the programme
what accompanied the launching of gosplan targets
heavy propaganda
what was the failure to achieve a target deemed to be
a criminal offence
what did the implementation of punishments for those who did not fulfil targets lead to
it lead to all those involved in administering and carrying out the plans going to great lengths to ensure that the reported statistics showed huge improvement - often way above the targets originally set
what was built into the system from the outset
corruption and faulty reporting
what unenviable position was Gosplan placed in
they had to work from deliberately falsified statistics and if things went wrong, its officials could be held responsible
what happened to many state employees after the start of the plans
they were dismissed, including members of Gosplan’s own offices, on the grounds that they were not sufficiently class-conscious, enthusiastic and free from corruption
how long did the first five-year plan span from
1928-1932
when was the first five-year plan approved
by the sixteenth party congress in April 1929, although the plan was backdated to October 1928
what was the FFYP based of
unsecure data and was extremely over-ambitious
what was the target for coal production compared to actual production
actual production in 1927-1928 was 35.4m tonnes
the target for 1932-1933 was 75m tonnes
what was the target for oil compared to actual production
actual production (1927-1928) - 11.7m tonnes target (1932-1933) - 22m tonnes
what was the target for steel compared to actual production
actual production (1927-1928) - 4m tonnes target (1932-1933) - 10.4m tonnes
what was the target for pig iron compared to actual production
actual production (1927-1928) - 3.3m tonnes target (1932-1933) - 10m tonnes
what should be emphasised about the first five-year plan
it was a great experiment and there was no obvious example elsewhere from which to learn - particularly at a time of economic collapse in the west following the wall street crash.
what was a major problem with the FFYP
people were afraid to question anything about it as Stalin’s regime become more authoritarian and criticism might easily be labelled as disloyalty, sabotage or treason
when did the American stock market collapse
October 1929
what did the FFYP focus on
the development of heavy industries (sometimes called producer’s goods or capital goods) such as coal and steel - raw materials that were a means of making other product
what were the aims of the FFYP
- increase production by 300 per cent
- focus on the development of coal, iron, steel, oil and machinery
- boost electricity production by 600 per cent
- double the output from light industry such as chemicals
what did the publicity surrounding the launch of FFYP provoke
an enthusiastic response
what did the success of the FFYP lead to Stalin doing
he claimed that the targets had been met in four years rather than five, but this was probably due to ‘over-enthusiastic’ reporting by local officials, keen to show their loyalty and effort
what was the reality of the FFYP
none of the major targets were actually met, although investment brought some impressive growth. The targets for the chemical industry were not met and house-building, food-processing and other consumer industries were woefully neglected
what were the achievements of the first FFYP
electricity output trebled, coal and iron output doubled and steel production increased by a third. New railways, engineering plants, HEP schemes and industrial complexes sprung up
why did the workforce damage the success of the FFYP
there were too few skilled workers and too little effective central coordination for efficient development, while smaller industrial works and workshops lost it in the competition from the bigger factories
when did the SFYP span from
1933-1937
what did the SFYP do
it built on the infrastructure provided by the first plan
what was the difference between the first and the second plan
the second gave more attention to consumer goods than the first plan, but the heavy industry still remained the overall priority
what are consumer goods
products such as clothing and furnishings, which are wanted by the people rather than by other manufacturing industries
what were the aims of the SFYP
- continue the development of heavy industry
- promote the growth of light industries, such as chemicals, electricals and consumer goods
- develop communications to provide links between cities and other industrial areas
- foster engineering and tool making
when did the SFYP experience some success
during the ‘three good years’
when were the ‘three good years’
1934-1936
what happened during the three good years
the Moscow metro opened in 1935, the Volga canal in 1937 and the Dnieprostroi Dam producing hydro-electric power, which had just been completed in 1932, was extended with four more generators to make it the largest dam in Europe
what grew rapidly under the SFYP
electricity production and the chemical industries. New metals were mined for the first time.
what was output under the SFYP
steel output trebled
coal production doubled
by 1937, the Soviet Union was virtually self-sufficient in metals goods and machine tools
what happened to the focus of the SFYP in 1936
Its focus shifted as a greater emphasis was placed on rearmament, which rose from 4 per cent of GDP in 1933 to 17 per cent by 1937
what was negative about the SFYP
oil production failed to meet its targets and despite some expansion in footwear and food-processing, there was still no appreciable increase in consumer goods
what issues continued from the FFYP into the SFYP
an emphasis on quantity rather than quality
what was target production for coal in the SFYP and the actual production
target - 152.5 million tonnes
actual - 128 million tonnes
what was the target production for oil in the SFYP and the actual production
- 8 million
28. 5 million
what was the target production for coal in the SFYP and the actual production?
17 million
17.7 million
who said that Moscow is encircled by a broad ring of new factories and housing estates
Louis Fischer
when was the third five-year plan
1938-42
what did the third five-year plan have a focus n
the needs of the defence sector
why was there a greater focus on defence in the TFYP
the growing threat from nazi Germany
what were the aims of the third five-year plan
- place a renewed emphasis on the development of heavy industry
- promote rapid rearmament
- complete the transition to communism
who was the main beneficiary of the third five-year plan
machinery and engineering
what happened to defence spending between 1938 and 1940
it doubled
what was the adverse effect caused by the TFYP
steel production stagnated, oil failed to meet targets, causing a fuel crisis, and many industries found themselves short of raw materials
what was relegated by the TFYP
consumer goods were also relegated
what was the biggest problem with the TFYP
the death of good managers, specialists and technicians following Stalin’s purges
what was there in 1938
an exceptionally hard winter
what disrupted and finished the TFYP early
because of the german invasion of 1941
what the plans originally involved
some showpiece projects were designed to show the modernity and capabilities of the soviet state
what was originally constructed in 1927 and opened n October 1932
dnieprostroi dam
what was dnieprostroi dam
the largest hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper River, generating some 560 MW. It was one of the largest in the world
what was built between 1926 and 1931
the turksib (Turkestan to Siberia) railway
what was opened in 1935
the Moscow metro opened with one 11-kilometre line and 13 stations
what was constructed between 1932 and 1937
Moscow - Volga canal
what did the Moscow volga canal do
it connects the muskva and Volga rivers.
what new industrial cities were built
Magnitogorsk in the Urals and Komsomolsk in the FarEasdt of Russia
what happened at Magnitogorsk
a gigantic steel plant and a town of 150,000 people were created from nothing.
what happened at the industrial plants in Magnitogorsk
workers lived in communal barracks beneath imposing pictures of Lenin and Stalin and were subject to constant lectures and political discussions.
what did John Scott say in Beyond the Urals
from 1928 until 1932, nearly a quarter of a million people came to Magnitogorsk
what was the Komsomolsk built by
volunteer labour from the communist youth organisation
what was the USSR forced to do to complete their vast projects
turn to foreign companies and individuals with both managerial and technical skills
what did Henry Ford do
advised on the car industry, training Russian engineers in the USA and helped to design the car plant at Gorky
what did the Dnieprostroi Dam project use
the experience gained from the construction of hydro-electric power stations in Canada
what were six American engineers given
the order of the red banner of labour for ‘outstanding work in the construction of DniproHES’
what did Walter Rukeyser do
help develop the asbestos industry at ‘Absest’ in the Urals
what did the development of the Moscow Metro rely upon
construction engineers from Britain
what did communism offer
an attraction during a time of depression
what was wrong with foreigners
they were looked upon with suspicion and it was easy to scapegoat them when things went wrong
what did the secret police do
they arrested numerous British engineers working in Moscow because they had gained an in-depth knowledge of the city’s geographical layout
who was the Stakhanovite movement based off
the coal miner Aleksei Stakhanov
what did Stakhanov do
in the Don Basin, cut an extraordinary 102 tonnes of coal with his pneumatic pick in 5 hours 45 minutes in August 1935
what was the amount of coal cut by Stakhanov like compared to the normal miner
it was an amount normally expected from a miner in 14 times that length of time
what happened to Stakhanov
he was declared a Soviet Hero and given a large bonus and honorary awards, and competitions were arranged for others to emulate Stakhanov’s achievement
what was beneficial about the Stakhanov movement
it was ideal propaganda for a party trying to create a new proletarian culture based on teamwork and selfless sacrifice
what did the Stakhanov movement become
a way of forcing management to support their workers so as to increase production
why was the Stakhanovite movement unpopular
jealousy was attached to the Stakhanovites’ receipt of superior accommodation and other material benefits
what things happened to the Stakhanovists
they were victimised and attacked by colleagues
what happened to industrial enterprises
they were placed under the control of directors or managers who had the unenviable task of ensuring that the output targets set by regional administrators were met
what did could managers receive
a bonus that was as much as 40 per cent of his income if he did better than expected
what became normal for managers
the falsification of statistics
what happened to managers who did not meet targets
they could be put on trial, imprisoned or executed.
what was wrecking
when managers did not make their books balance
what did factories have to do from 1936
pay for their own fuel, raw materials and labour from their ‘profits’ so managers had to account carefully
what governed how much work a labourer was expected to do
national ‘work norms’
what happened to work norms in 1936
they were raised by between 10 per cent and 50 per cent
what happened to the increase in work norms
it became even harder for managers to deal with protesting workers
how did Stakhanovites be a problem to managers
too much effort could lead to factory targets being revised upwards, creating new problems for output in the following year.
what did keen workers sometimes do to managers
they accused managers of wrecking their Stakhanovite attempts by failing to supply good tools or resources
what happened to life and working conditions experienced by industrial workers
they were far from a socialist paradise
what tough measures were introduced in the drive for industrialisation
- a seven-day working week and longer working hours
- arriving late or missing work could result in dismissal
- eviction from housing and loss of benefits
what things were made illegal
damaging machinery, leaving a job without permission and strikes
what was introduced for workers in 1938
labour books which recorded workers’ employment, skills and any disciplinary issues
what was there a certain degree of among workers
enthusiasm about industrialisation
what was set up to aid workers for industrialisation
an extensive training programme was set up and opportunities for advancement by learning new skills meant some workers did well
what was introduced in 1931 for workers
wage differentials to reward those who stayed in their jobs and worked hard
what did Stalin’s purges hit hardest
intellectuals and white-collar intellectuals, reducing the numbers competing for jobs and creating plenty of vacancies ‘at the top’
what did Stalin often announce
‘life has become better, comrades, life has become more joyous’
what was the result of workers emigrating to industrial cities
workers lived in extremely cramped communal apartments where they had to cope with inadequate sanitation and erratic water supplies
what happened in the cities
public transport was overcrowded, shops were often empty and queues and shortages were an accepted feature of life
what increased during the second five year plan
they increased, although they were still lower in 1937 than they had been in 1928
what was phased out in 1935
rationing
what was the issue with rationing being removed
market prices were high and, while those in positions of importance in the socialist system could obtain more goods more cheaply
who were forced to labour to complete stalins projects
prison camp inmates whose work and living conditions could be grim indeed.
what was built almost entirely by manual labour
the belomor canal built almost entirely by manual labour between 1931 and 1933
how many were employed for the belomor canal
300,000 at its peak, and many died of overwork, poor treatment, lack of food and disease
what was the death rate for the belomor project
the death rate was 700 per day, but new prisoners came into the camps in the canal area at the rate of 1500 per day
average survival time was just two years
where were the majority of female workers focused
the lowest-paid jobs requiring the least skills - particularly in textiles and other light industry
what happened to women in work
they were routinely discriminated against and were paid less than men for fulfilling the same work norms
what was closed down in January 1930
Zhenotdel, the department of the Russian communist party devoted to women’s affair
what was Zhenotdel
the department of the Russian communist party devoted to women’s affair
where were there improvements for women in work
they began to enter the industry in unprecedented numbers and by 1935, women constituted 42 per cent of all industrial workers
what happened as prices rose
working-class women flooded into the industry and also found jobs in education, healthcare and administration in order to sustain their families.
what did desperate factory managers do to try and reach their quotas
they would employ the wives, widows and teenage daughters of their male workers
why were women a good source of employment
they provided valuable labour resources and were more reliable than victims of collectivisation from the countryside
what did the employment of women do that was beneficial for cities
it reduced the need for further housing development to cope with migration to cities
what did the party do during the SFYP
the party took note of the value of female workers and sent orders for more women to be employed in heavy industry
how were factory managers still neglecting women
they continued to hire women for the jobs requiring the fewest skills and were reluctant to offer promotions or train women to take on skilled work.
what happened to women in the workplace
they were harassed, both physically and sexually, by their male co-workers and with the abolition of Zhenotdel, there was no institution to fight inequality in the workplace
what did the party make an effort to do in 1936
enrol women in technical training programmes, and even made women’s entry into management positions easier
what was the consequence of the efforts of the party when it came to the enrolment of women
increasing numbers of women found their way into well paid skilled positions, including work in heavy industries such as lumber, metal and machine production
what enabled women to cope with work and family
the provision of state nurseries, creches, canteens and child clinics
what was the average of women compared to men
they still earned. 40per cent less than men. A little over 43 per cent of the industrial workforce was female by 1940
what did the FYPs help to do
to transform the USSR into a modern industrial economy
what did the relentless drive to achieve lead to
it stimulated economic growth and increased output
how much did the Soviet economy grow
at 5 to 6 per cent each year between 1928 and 1940
what did the FFYP see
impressive gains in several areas of heavy industry, for example, engineering, several branches of which were begun almost form nothing
what did the SFYP see
it brought a huge growth in construction and transport. Between 1928 and 1932, the industrial workforce doubled and, between 1926 and 1939, the urban population increased from 26 to 56 million people.
what consumer goods emerged during the good years
gramophones
what happened to efficiency during the war
shortages recurred and resources were diverted
what did the TFYP enable
the huge growth in the armaments industry with tanks, aircraft and funs produced that was the equal to anything produced elsewhere in the world
what social downsides were there
the shortage of skilled labour
