The Great Turn Flashcards
When was what was the procurement crisis?
1927-1928. 25% less grain was being purchased by the government because the peasants were focusing on producing good that could yield higher returns than grain, which had sunk to a low point
Why was the NEP failing by 1928?
There were worries that the Soviet Union could not reach self-sufficiency under the NEP. Many people were frustrated by the Capitalism of the NEP. Peasants were facing harsh living standards and unemployment. Growth and production was slowing down.
When was the only time Stalin visited a farm while in power, where was this and what did he do there?
1928- he visited the Urals to collect grain using forced requisitioning
What were some political motives for Stalin’s Great Turn?
He could head towards Communism, which would be a very popular move. He could use this to wipe out political opposition (such as Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky) and stay in power
What were some economic motives for the Great Turn?
To get where Russia was in 1913 and hopefully beyond. Rapid industrialisation. Russia to become self sufficient. Revolutionalise agriculture
What were some ideological motives for the Great Turn?
Move away from Capitalism towards Communism
What were some military motives for the Great Turn?
To keep the military under control and supporting Stalin (they had supported Trotsky previously)
In 1928, what % of people were workers and why was this important?
20%. This was important because it went against what Marxist theory outlines. Marxist theory recommends a highly industrialised state where the majority of people are workers
Why was industrialisation important to Stalin?
Stalin knew that a state that was not industrialised would not do very well in warfare. Germany had joined the League of Nations in 1926 and Russia felt isolated by this and their damaged relations with Britain (Zinoviev’s letter). There was a British police raid on a Soviet trade centre in 1927. Communism was unpopular, and Stalin was afraid of invasion
In what year did industrial capacity recover to pre-1914 levels?
1926
