Summary of the Soviet Union by 1941

Question 1

What was central to S regime which he inherited from L? How was this achieved?

Answer 1

TERROR=population controlled with internal passports+visas. Lived in fear of the NKVD, encouraged to turn people in.The Great Terror = impreganble

Question 2

Was there an economic transformation and what was the social impact?

Answer 2

1941=urbanised and indrustrialised, successes in heavy indrusty. But COLLECTIVISATION had a huge social impact, wasting resources+lives =failures in agriculture,production and distrubution of consumer goods, MILLONS DIED, peasants and gulags suffered.

Question 3

Who were the winners from the economic transformation?

Answer 3

The Brezhnev generation and the nomenklatura(administration) only 60,000 of 150 million saw any real benefits! +Stakhanovites.

Question 4

How did the losers view the regime? (Historian)

Answer 4

Barber estimates that 1/5 of workers supported. Leaving masses who just accepted their fate. NKVD show it was hated in towns. Silent disgruntlement was the norm -Service

Question 5

At what rate did collectivsation occour?

Answer 5

Collectivisations tried to increase harvests and lower prices. The number of C farms DECREASED from 58% to 24% between March and June. September C began again by end of 1930s 90% of households were C = 25 million households = 250,000 kolkhozy. MASS DISORIENTATION and anger!!

Question 6

What is a collectivised Farm?

Answer 6

A kolkhoz = 50-100 households put togerther, pooling all tools, live stock and land. In an attempt to farm more effciently with tractors, fertilisers and metal ploughs.

Question 7

How did Stalin attempt mass scale collectivisation?

Answer 7

Novermber 1929=25,000 workers went to the countryside+ officals,army and police, to C.

Question 8

What was the process of De-Kulakisation?

Answer 8

Began on 27 December, liquidation of class, also known as any peasant who dissagreed! Masking the attack against the peasantry,quotas were set of how many to kill.

Question 9

What categories were kulaks put in?

Answer 9

Counter-Revs= shot or forced labour
Active Opponents = Deported to Siberia
Those expelled from farms = settled on poor land

Question 10

De-Kulakisation statics

Answer 10

Between 1930-31 1.8m deported to Siberia.
400,000 moved of their land
390,000 arrested +sent to gulags
21,000 shot
3m a year choose to leave for towns=overcrowding

Question 11

What opposition was their to collectivisation and De-Kulakisation?

Answer 11

1930 = 13,750 outbreaks of unrest
Riots involed 2.5m peasants
Kulak Terrorism = 3,150 victims
Peasants burned houses, fields and killed animals in protest to handing them over.

Question 12

How much livestock did peasants kill in oppostion?

Answer 12

1928-1931
Sheep and goat- 146m - 52m
Cattle- 70-48m

Question 13

Who played a large role against collectivistation?

Answer 13

WOMEN - with womens revolts North Caucasus Feb 1930, protests were highly organised with specific goals.

Question 14

Why did peasants resent the attack on their traditions> WHAT was there response?

Answer 14

The Mir abolished, Churches closed + 100,000 clergy, monks and nus killed. Between 1928-1941 20m moved to the towns=internal passports to control this.

Question 15

Why was there famine despite increases in grain production? What was done to hide this?

Answer 15

1932-3 Ukraine= state taking x2 LEVEL under NEP+still exporting. So people werent allowed to leave! Conquest argues S is ‘Criminal responsible; for the 7m who starved, to destroy their nationalism. 1,000 were executed for stealing corn , 30,000 convicted.

Question 16

Assess the impact of collectisation.

Answer 16

LT negative- increased silent opposition+caused chaous. Harvest decreased 1928=73m Yet State procurement increased 1928=11m 1931=23m
Overall peasants starved so migrate to cities which dont have enough food. SUCCEEDED in S goal of providing food for indrustrialisation.

Question 17

Why did S view collectivisation as a success?

Answer 17

It was a modernisation drive, they didnt want farmers to be hoarding grain, it was a political success, a social disaster and a moderately successful economic move for indrustry, but a failure for agriculture. They established social control temporalily.

Question 18

What was the overall SOCIAL impact of collectivisation and De-Kulakisation?

Answer 18

High human costs with millions dead, executed or starved, many fled, and a way of life Gone. C was a 2nd Serfdom, they were tied to their land, unable to move due to internal passports. Fitzpatrick says ‘they wished him dead, his regime overthrown’. The policies made the [easantry HATE him!

Question 19

What was the economic impact of the 5Y Plans?

Answer 19

Produced real economic achievement 1928-41 indrustrial output X3 annual growth 10%. 1928-38 enterprised grew 9,000 to 64,000. Developed Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel plant. Quality of equipment low = low productivity/high repair rate

Question 20

Political Impact of 5Y Plans?

Answer 20

Indrustrialisation allowed them to ready for war X28 production of tanks and aircraft! But due to the human impact there was increase in opposition.

Question 21

Social Impact of 5Y Plans?

Answer 21

Quality was sacrified to quantity, productivity low, LC appoling. Workers untrained = high accidents. The 2nd 5Y Plan was more realistic

Question 22

5Y Plan vs NEP which is better?

Answer 22

S policies were so wasteful, some economists say NEP was more economically viable. 5Y Plans didnt work with WW2 coming+ ideology to uphold, Great Turn. VS NEP being an ideological retreat

Question 23

How was S power affected?

Answer 23

His power ever increased, as he began like a God.

Question 24

How did the Great Terror affect Russia in summary?

Answer 24

1937-8 complex with S central to it. Purges in the PARTY, social cleansing of the NKVD with ORDER 00447 and national sweeps. Many were killed, it removed what S viewed as oppostion, but created large anger.

Question 25

How did the Great Terror affect politics?

Answer 25

The Party was also scared of S power, and owed their positions to him. There was a large amount of victims caused by officals wanting to please. S policies changed Russia massively (C and I).

Question 26

What was the affect of the Cultural Revolution 1928=31?

Answer 26

Saw the return to Class Struggle, increased public acceptance with more social realism. Conservative polices: family values, NO divorce, abortion, YES increased education and access to the Arts. Called the Great Retreat, as like Serfdom too much freedom was given= withdrawn.

Question 27

To what extent was S a Totaliterian?

Answer 27

A SOMEWHAT extent, he aspired to be, had strong political control, yet struggled to deliver economic improvements without massive waste.

Question 28

Was there CONTUITY from L to S/

Answer 28

Historigraphy favours yes, S was always trying to be the L of the day, the people favoured L more, as the peasants hated S has he had time to implement L ideas.