Launch of the first five year plan

Question 1

How was centralised planning used ?

Answer 1

It was maximised setting systematics targets for ambitious increases in output

Question 2

What were 6 aims of the 5 year plan?

Answer 2

• Develop heavy industry
• boost overall production by 300%
• Improve transport system
• transform society and the economy by electrification
• Increased agricultural production to feed expanding industrial workforce
• light industry was given low priority but still had to double its output

Question 3

What is heavy industry?

Answer 3

coal, oil, iron, steel and machinery

Question 4

When improving the transport system , what did the regime focus on?

Answer 4

the railway system

Question 5

With the aim to transform society and the economy by electrification, what was the target to generate by 1933 from 1928?

Answer 5

wanted to generate 6 times more electric power by 1933 than the total in 1928

Question 6

What is light industry which was given low priority?

Answer 6

chemicals, household goods etc

Question 7

What were the ambitious targets intended to force?

Answer 7

-force managers and workers to devote maximum effort to the fulfilment of the 5 year plan

Question 8

How was propaganda used to motivate workers?

Answer 8

it was full of grandiose predictions of future success

Question 9

What was there to be a massive investment in?

Answer 9

Infrastructures especially railways and energy production

Question 10

What is an example of a new industrial complex that was planned?

Answer 10

“Steel City” in Magnitogorsk near Chelyabinsk and Stalinsk , situated in the coal basin of Kuznetsk

Question 11

Where were plans for new tractor factories? (2)

Answer 11

• in Stalingrad on the Volga

- Kharkiv in Ukraine

Question 12

What were the opinions of many elements of the party membership to the five year plan?

Answer 12

they were pleased to see a commitment to radical social change and an end to the compromises of the NEP

Question 13

What did Urban workers hope for from the 5 year plan? (2)

Answer 13

better employment

higher living standards

Question 14

What were many low and ‘middle’ peasants led to hope? (2)

Answer 14

that they would benefit from further land reform and the introduction of more modern methods

Question 15

Why were some in the party pessimistic about the ‘Stalin Revolution’?

Answer 15

They saw the Kulaks as the backbone of the agricultural economy and felt that harsh imposition of collectivisation would result in less food being produced

Question 16

Why were many of those managing industrial production critical?

Answer 16

as they were already critical of the adverse impact of central planning which they felt would not solve the problems of industry