Pre-war Stalin - Economy

Question 1

Stalins great turn

Answer 1

-15th party congress, dec 1927 announced end of nep and plan for rapid industrialisation
-chose to advance industry through 5 year plans
-very ambitious targets, failure a criminal offence

Question 2

Aims of first 5 year plan

Answer 2

-increase production by 300%
-develop heavy industry
-boost electricity production 600%
-double light industry output

Question 3

Results of first 5 year plan

Answer 3

-lasted 1928-32 as stalin claimed targets were met
-no major targets actually met
-electricity output tripled, coal and iron doubled
-new railways, engineering plants and hydroelectric
-chemical industry targets not met, house building, food processing and consumer industries neglected

Question 4

Aims of second 5 year plan

Answer 4

-continue development of heavy industry
-new emphasis on light industries
-develop communications to provide links
-boost engineering and tool making

Question 5

Results of second 5 year plan

Answer 5

-moscow metro 1935, volga canal 1937
-electricity and chemical production grew hugely
-steel trebled, coal doubled and ussr self sufficient in metal goods and machine tools
-rearmament rose from 4% -17% of GDP from 1933-37
-oil production failed, no increase in consumer goods

Question 6

Aims of third 5 year plan

Answer 6

-focus on development of heavy industry
-promote rapid rearmament
-complete transition to communism

Question 7

Results of third 5 year plan

Answer 7

-strong growth in machinery and engineering
-resources increasingly diverted to rearmament
-steel and oil production stagnated
-many industries short of raw materials, fuel crisis
-death of skilled workers in purges affected production

Question 8

Key agricultural events of the 1920s

Answer 8

-1926, grain requisition produces 50% of expectations
-1927, grain procurement crisis, state collections low and food crises in the industrial towns
-1928, rationing in cities, forcible seizure of grain and closure of markets

Question 9

Dekulakisation

Answer 9

-dec 1929, stalin announced he would annihilate kulaks
-only represented 4% of peasants
-red army and cheka used to execute or deport them
-15% of peasant households destroyed
-150,000 richer peasants forced to migrate north and east

Question 10

Collectivisation stage 1

Answer 10

-jan 1930, 25% of grain farming areas to be collectivised
-cheka + army used to force peasants into kolkhozes
-58% of peasants collectivised by march 1930
-brief return to voluntary collectivisation due to hostility, numbers reduced only 20% of households by oct 1930

Question 11

Collectivisation stage 2

Answer 11

-new drive to collectivisation at a slower pace
-2500 machine tractor stations added
-aug 1932, stealing from collective meant jail for 10 years
-52% of veg, 70% of meat and 71% of milk produced in private plots as it gave peasants incentive

Question 12

Problems with collectivisation

Answer 12

-dekulakisation removed 10 million successful farmers
-25-30% of cattle,pigs,sheep slaughtered 1929-33
-unrealistic quotas led to peasants losing all their grain
-too few tractors, organisers unskilled in farming
-oct 1931 drought led to drop in food production