Society Flashcards
To what extent did the Russian people lose more than they gained from social/economic changes?
Para 1- Living conditions:
On the whole gained more:
GAINS: Lenin’s decree on land-redistribute property to workers (previously severe overcrowding-average living space 1905=8.5m2. Khrushchev’s housing scheme- housing stock doubled 1955-64. NIIs medical insurance system, sewage system-improved sanitation.
LOSSES: AIIIs ‘reaction’- showed no altruism- 1891 famine=350,000 dead-AIII to blame-rased tax.
Lenin’s war comm=grain requisitioning, 1921 famine=5m dead.
Stalin’s dekulakisation: huge loss for wealthier peasants.
Para 2- Working conditions:
Comm focused on heavy ind-lost more.
LOSSES: Stalin’s 5.Y.Ps-harder working cond-wages fell by 50%-use of slave labour. Emancipation edict wasn’t a gain-didn’t improve-poor land distribution.
GAINS: Stolypin’s land reform-1906-creation of Kulaks-gave peasants more flexibility-unused land made available to Land Bank for peasants to buy. NII- working day reduced to 11hrs. MTS/development of tractor-made work much easier.
Para 3- Opportunities:
Certainly gained more: GAINS:
AII’s educational reforms.
Stalin’s educational reforms.
Stolypin’s wager on the strong.
Stalin’s 5.Y.P’s gave women more opportunities- Creches for working mothers & stakanovite movement-win homes etc.
LOSSES:
Bolsheviks- total loyalty to party demanded-little freedom of speech- religion considered ‘opium of the people’-severe restrictions placed on church.
To what extent did ‘X’ ruler do the most to improve living/working conditions?
Para 1- Housing:
What ‘X’ did.
-Tsars didn’t do much for peasants: crowded, damp/squalid- workers: overcrowding, poorly constructed housing (1896- average 4-6 per bed- avg living space- 1905=8.5m2).
-Lenin made some improvements: Decree on land- aimed to redistribute property to workers- but short lived effects.
-Stalin made few improvements- no altruistic motive.
-Kulaks housing appalling- dumped in barracks- given tents in fields- entirely inflicted by Stalin.
Khrushchev did most- only leader from working class background.
Para 2- Living conditions:
-What ‘X’ did.
-AII did most under Tsars. re food shortages- zemstva in charge of emergency measures.
-AIII didn’t care- 1891 famine- 350,000 died- Vyshnergradsky raised tax- forced to sell grain surplus’
-Lenin made no real improvements- didn’t care- slow to respond to 1921 famine- grain requisitioning.
Para 3- Working conditions:
-What ‘X’ did.
-NII made some significant change but abdication: not long term solutions.
-Stolypin’s land reforms 1905-7- peasants recognised-creation of educated Kulaks.
-1896- working day reduced to 11 hours.
-Made even shorter under Lenin- 8 hrs.
-AII- emancipation- v. sig contextual improvements-more access to land.
-Temporary -‘peace, bread and land’ proclaimed Bolsheviks representing peasants interests.- BUT mass collectivisation under stalin- 1-3mil families deported.
Para 4- Opportunities:
-What ‘X’ did.
-Better education under AII- golden age of literature, music, ballet etc.
-Thanks to Lenin/Stalin working classes even more educated/higher literacy levels.
-Stakhanovite movement- win houses, cars.
-More opportunities under stalin- creches
How different was Tsarist/ communist Russia socially and economically?
Para 1- Econ- Extent:
Comm advanced econ far greater extent.
Tsars: Can’t be compared to comm- 6% annual growth rate of track under Reutern- AII.
Witte G.S- coal production doubled- iron/steel x7. BUT extent limited- rail expansion costly- not as impressive as rest of Europe- 1914- 11x less km track per unit of land than Germany- econ fell apart during ww1.
Comm: Much greater- most under Stalin- 5.Y.Ps- productivity increased- oil= 11.6m tons (1928)- 148 (1906).
Para 2- Type:
Not v. different- focus on heavy.
Tsars: Focus on heavy- AII reutern sole aim to expand railway & staples- some focus on textiles- Ludwig loop.
-Witte’s G.S- industry at expense of consumer goods- expand new tech.
Comm: Stalin- heavy & production targets- engineering industry expanded especially- production of tools- machines- Magnitogorsk.
-4500 new electricity enterprises started.
-Consumer industries declined.
-Khrushchev only one to focus on tech- sputnik- atomic bomb etc.
Para 3- reason:
Similar except comm more due to ideology.
Tsars: need to catch up with west: wanted to emulate success of GB, France & Germany’s revolutions- GB>reuterns track. Opp also important- WS- G.S- due to People’s will killed grandfather.
Comm: Need to catch up with west crucial- 5.Y.Ps-‘either we do it or we shall be crushed’.
Opp also- reason for NEP-due to opp to war comm.
-Only diff- comm motivated by ideology- 5.Y.Ps>centralise power/strengthen comm.
Para 4- Housing Conditions:
-Consistently poor- except Khrushchev.
Tsars: peasants lived in izbas- overcrowding- average living space=8.5m2 1905.
Comm: peasants in special housing blocks- Kulaks in tents. Khrushchev improved- housing stock doubled.
Para 5- living conditions:
-Consistently poor- but comm worsened food crisis.
Tsars: 1891 famine- 350,000 dead, 17/39 provinces.- AIII slow to react- Cholera- 1896- 100,000 workers dead BUT medical insurance scheme 1890.
Comm: larger famine- 1921- similar to 1891- inflicted by Stalin
