Recovery from War after 1945 (Stalin)

• • Fourth Five Year Plan.
  • Continued lack of consumer goods.
  • Employment high as top priority was rebuilding the nation.
• • During fourth 5YP, 88% of funds directed to heavy indsutry, industrial output increased by 80%.
  • Consumer goods spending only at 12%.
  • From 1945-50, industrial workforce increased by 4.2 million.
  • Grain production doubled from 1945-50.
• Fourth Five Year Plan 1945-40

  • Led to extremely high levels of industrial growth.
  • 88% of investment went into heavy industry.
  • Industrial output increased by 80% from 1945-50.
• Consumer goods under the 4th Five Year Plan

  • Production increased.
  • However FYP focused mainly on heavy industry
  • Only 12% of investment went into consumer goods like food production.
  • Although production of consumer goods doubled, they continued to be scarce.
  • Reconstruction focused on factories rather than homes.
  • Equally, reconstruction of historic cities given priority over small towns.
• Employment under the 4th Five Year Plan

  • Wages were kept low.
  • Made money more available for reconstruction.
  • Women were forced to go out to work because their families needed income.
  • Stalin recognized that women were vital for the reconstruction of soviet industry.
  • Again, the FYP was full of inefficiencies and issues, nonetheless the economy was the fastest growing economy in the world.
  • Although there was still major shortages of consumer goods and housing.
• Agriculture during the post-war recovery

  • Soviet agriculture recovered slowly from the impact of the War..
  • Stalin’s top economic priorities after the war was industrial reconstruction.
  • As a result, Soviet agriculture suffered shortages pf resources and workers from 1946 to 1949.
  • After war was over, Stalin re-imposed strict discipline over soviet farms.
  • During the War, there had been a small increase in private farming which was ending following the end of WW2.
  • Overall, production still grew from 1947-1953.
  • Grain production reached its pre-war levels by 1952, at 92.2 million tons