Stalinist Proletariat

Question 1

What happened from 1931?

Answer 1

-introduction of wage differentials, bonuses, payment by the piece + opportunities better housing to reward skills
-produced more diverse proletariat

Question 2

What did this lead to?

Answer 2

-workers allowed choose their place of work
-could move to improve their lot + disciplinary rules eased

Question 3

What happened with propaganda campaigns?

Answer 3

-increased socialist competition - produced new proletariat elite
-more peasants moved to towns, town workers became managers, workers kids benefited from increased education opportunities

Question 4

What was the Stakhovanite movement?

Answer 4

-Stakhanov miner who extracted 102 tonnes of coal in c.6hrs which should’ve took 14x as long 1935
-hailed as e.g. of how human determination increase productivity

Question 5

What did the stakhovanite movement lead to?

Answer 5

-competitions for workers emulate achievement
-became way forcing management support their workers to increase production - failure fulfil targets meant managers branded ‘saboteurs’ + removed

Question 6

What did Stalin’s industrialisation drive produce?

Answer 6

-new opportunities for social advancement

Question 7

What did his purges lead to?

Answer 7

-reduced numbers competing for jobs + created vacancies ‘at the top’
-1933 Stalin announces ‘life become better…more joyous’

Question 8

What remained the same despite changes?

Answer 8

-realities daily life remained grim
-countryside living conditions remained primitive + town workers cramped co,mural apartments

Question 9

What happened with public transport?

Answer 9

-over crowded
-shops often empty + queue + shortages accepted feature of life

Question 10

What happened to society under 2nd 5YP?

Answer 10

-real wages increased but still lower in 1937 than 1928
-rationing phased out 1935 but market prices high

Question 11

What was gov attitude towards workers 1939-40?

Answer 11

-harsher as war doomed - discipline tightened
-20mins late criminal offence

Question 12

What did the decree of 1940 do?

Answer 12

-ended free labour market, social benefits cut
-skilled workers directed anywhere, others needed permission change jobs

Question 13

How did conditions under NEP get worse under Stalin?

Answer 13

-peasants herded into collectives
-more emigrated to towns - doubling urban lab force by 1932

Question 14

What did the drive for industrialisation bring?

Answer 14

-7 day working week, longer working hrs + strikes illegal
-arriving late or missing work result in dismissal, home eviction or benefits lost
-damaging machinery or leaving without permission criminal offence