Stalin's Economic Polices Flashcards
Successes of Effects of Stalin’s Economic Policies
Successes
USSR turned into modern industrial state (able to survive in WWII)
Huge propaganda campaign for Stalin and worker – new world, everyone sharing and benefitting
Huge advances in heavy steel, pig iron, and iron ore – modern state in 10 years
People employed and women given work within the state
Genuine enthusiasm for new state created – everyone sharing in wealth
Huge achievements in new cities, dams, hydroelectric power, electricity, coal, steel
90% of land had been collectivized into Kolkhoz – freed up farmers to work in cities
New farm machinery and implements used on the farms
failures of Effects of Stalin’s Economic Policies
Failures
Poorly organized – inefficiency duplication of effort, unrealistic targets, falsified figures
Appalling human cost – secret police, slave labour, labour camps
No human goods – no consumer goods, poor housing, no human rights
Living standards for workers did not improve – penalties for absenteeism, slacking etc
Appalling working conditions – death and accidents
7 million Kulaks eliminated in forced collectivization – took away best farmers
Close to civil war broke out within the countryside initially
Massive social upheaval created as mass migration took place from farm to cities
Highly unsuccessful at times and inefficient – sold more gain than had
Kulak resistance led to burning and killing of animals etc
Great famine swept through Ukraine region – close to 4 million deaths (man made) – Holdomor
Production actually fell…
Stalin’s Social control
See Fear and Terror – link to political – preserve power base and transform legacy
Equality abandoned – communist party elite with privileges, armed services hierarchy – normenklatura (establishment)
Wage differentials introduced – seven day work week created
Role of Youth- indoctrination, youth groups, part of work force, etc - see Little Pioneers, Little Octoborists
Konsomol – formal body created in 1926 – youth 14-28 pledged loyalty to Stalin and State
Role of Women – workforce – cheap labour, promotion of children, not leaders in party
Role of the family unit was stressed (see reversal to Lenin’s policy – women and family)
Family seen as vehicle for political and ideological control
Role of Minorities – Muslims attacked by Stalin, national minorities suppressed, displacement of peoples (Baltic states)
Role of Worker – glorified in state – Stakhonovite, growth, initiative, power
Stalin’s Changes from Leninism….
1935 Stalin passed a new law lowering the age of legal responsibility
This allowed children to be treated like adults in the law – receive punishment
Unregistered marriages were no longer recognized
1936 divorce made more difficult – needed to attend court, became expensive
1936 abortion banned – newspapers told horror stories about procedure
The amount of child maintenance rose to discourage divorce
The family was declared to be the basis of Soviet society
Homosexuality made illegal to promote hetrosexual family life
Women who had six or more children were paid increased amounts
Stalin’s Cultural Policies
The Cult of Personality
Censorship of anything that might reflect badly on Stalin – see altering of
pictures - removal of writers (Pasterna, Solzyneisten)
Propaganda everywhere – statues, holidays, praise and applause all things
Stalin – picture was everywhere
Every book. Film, newspaper carried a reference of Stalin’s greatness
Places and parades were one in his name – see Stalingrad
Mothers were to teach children Stalin wisest man of age
History books and photographs were altered to make him seen as hero of
revolution and Russia
Socialist Realism only type of art promoted within USSR
Only musicians and arts that glorified Stalin and state promoted – see
removal of writers, etc
Education and art censored, papers too
Education was to be mandatory – emphasis on schooling to help with
modernizing the state (state textbooks, school uniforms, etc)
Religion outlawed and banned
