The state of Russia by 1941 Flashcards
How many new industries were established between ‘28 and ‘41?
-8000
What issues were hampering industry?
- Shortage of Labour. Industry was expanding quicker
- Industrial expansion was largely a result of prison labour. (9 million in camps)
- Shortage of technical experts. - in part due to Stalin’s purges
What issues were there in agriculture?
-Poorest harvest in 1940 since 1913
- Rural workers moved around the union for better living standards
- -> internal passports brought in
What were living standards by 1940?
-During the 30’s wages fell
- Labour Discipline had become more restrictive
- > req to leave job, absent= crime , working hours increased
-FYP emphasis on heavy Industry at expense of consumer goods
Politically what was the USSR like by 1941?
-One party Dictatorship;
- Purges meant that Stalin was in complete control.
- Institutions independent from the party were banned.
What evidence is there to suggest that the country wasn’t a personal dictatorship?
-Although eminating from the centre, many of Stalin’s policies required their own momentum from local officials who carried out these policies.
E.g ->Local officials would often protect one another against central demands. -Falsifying of stats
How can Lenin be seen to be laying the foundations of a one party state?
-Lenin forced closure of the constituent assembly in 1918.
Lenin’s constitution only permitted the existence of the communist party.
How did Stalin and lenin differ in dealing with opposition?
Lenin:
- Non violent internal purges ie 150,000 expulsions and ban on factions in party
- Violent eternal purges:Ie red terror developed prison camp system for political enemies.
Stalin:-Violent internal purges due to paranoia.600,000 party members executed. Violent external purges:NKVD arrested millions of civilians. destroyed Kulaks ,waged class warfare.
What was the state of the Stalinist economy?
-FYP=>Russia into a highly industrialised and urbanised nation.
E.G 17% lived in towns and overtaken Britain in steel production.
=> aided soviet WW2 victory.
Weakness:
-Uneven economic development. (Consumer vs heavy industry)
-FYP–> poor quality of goods and stifled innovation. Falsifying stats.
-unorganised:e.g Agricultural machinary use limited to lack of trained inviduals to repair.
also unorganised due to stalinist purges of beorgois specialists
What was the state of Stalinist society?
- Communist control of the countryside,Install communal values and banish traditional ideas. (Peasants typically more traditional)
- Increased urbanisation-> Larger proletariat (backbone of communist state)
- distinct soviet culture appeared through art and, public celebrations and literature.
- Living conditions: Low rations, poor prefabricated housing and strict censorship.
-hierarchical society (contradictory to socialism)
=> Dominated by party elite and Normanklatura. Special party privileges .
Contradictory to socialism, instead of state withering away, state became more formidable.
What was the state of the soviet union by june 1941?
- Threat of expansionist Germany.Not ready for War.Purges of Red Army weakened Army.
- Military spending increased fom 16.5% (‘37) to 32.6% in 1940.
- Threat of being purged meant that military officers didn’t try anything new.
- Third FYP focus on military spending hampered agricultural development.
Why had Stalin purged the Red Army?
- Trotsky= Stalin’s enemy.
- Trotsky previously under control of Army therefore possibility that army were loyal to him rather than Stalin.
- Also to further demonstrate his legitimacy of authority.