Soviet Union: How did Stalin devastate the Soviet Union?

Question 1

What did Stalin do that caused an economic impact?

Answer 1

Collectivisation, rapid industrialisation

Question 2

What did Stain do that caused a political impact?

Answer 2

The Great Terror, Propaganda

Question 3

What did Stalin do that caused a social impact?

Answer 3

State control of society, let people live in fear, policies impact on social groups

Question 4

What happened when collectivisation was implemented?

Answer 4

Many peasants, including the rich farmers, killed their animals and crops, which contributed to the Great Famine. State collected grain for factories and left none for the people.

Question 5

What happened when rapid industrialization was implemented?

Answer 5

Lesser demand for farm workers, more production of food to supply, more new factories and expansion of industrial workforce, state quotas were set

Question 6

What was the purpose of the Five-Year Plans?

Answer 6

It was to rapidly industrialise the Soviet Union

Question 7

What was the negative impact of the Five-Year Plans?

Answer 7

Little growth in consumer industries, underproduction due to material shortage, overproduction to meet quota, quality of products was sub-standard and potentially hazardous

Question 8

What was the purpose of The Great Terror?

Answer 8

Stalin wanted to consolidate his power and enforce party discipline, and remove any domestic opposition

Question 9

What actions were taken during The Great Terror?

Answer 9

Purges and show trials, arrests and interrogations

Question 10

What was the impact of the Great Terror?

Answer 10

Loss of intellectuals, skilled workers and officers->affected the workforce, civil service and education->no experienced and capable commanders for army->weakened USSR

Question 11

How did state control of society impact the people?

Answer 11

This resulted in a fall in standard of living, famine, and lack of consumer goods

Question 12

Why was there a fall in the standard of living?

Answer 12

People cannot buy or build houses, many were forced to live in cramp conditions, workers were pushed very hard and had poor working conditions

Question 13

Why was there a famine?

Answer 13

State controlled the use of agricultural produce and forcibly took farmers’ crops. Did not distribute it and sold it overseas for funds for industrial machinery and development

Question 14

Why was there a lack of consumer goods?

Answer 14

Focus on production of industrial goods->neglect on consumer goods, more focus on producing weapons than consumer goods for the welfare of the people

Question 15

Why did the people live in fear?

Answer 15

Spies and informers everywhere->people killed/arrested for the slightest reason->those judged poorly faced difficulty applying for jobs, housing and holidays

Question 16

Who were the Stakhanovites?

Answer 16

Exemplars of working-class values(e.g.hard work and selflessness) who were celebrated by Stalin

Question 17

What was the negative impact of the ‘New Soviet Man’?

Answer 17

Although people were enthusiastic at first, there was pressure to perform up to the state’s standard and those who failed to do so faced oppression

Question 18

How did the policies allow women to enter the workforce?

Answer 18

Abortion+Divorce was legalised and childcare centres were built to encourage women to be productive members of the economy and control their own lives more

Question 19

What were the downsides of the policies allowing women to work?

Answer 19

The childcare centres were poorly maintained and abortion was banned again (1969), so the women were expected to be workers+housewives

Question 20

What happened when Stalin implemented compulsory schooling?

Answer 20

literary rates increased(men->40% to 94%, women->13% to 65%)

Question 21

What was taught in the schools of the Soviet Union?

Answer 21

Propaganda, emphasised communism, atheism and technical subjects

Question 22

Why were teenagers encouraged to join the Komsomol(Communist Union of Youth)?

Answer 22

Stalin wanted to be seen as father of the people, and through this youths would be indoctrinated to be loyal to him and the Communist Party, then promoted to Party Posts