Essay 1.

• Essay Question - Evaluate impact of Stalin’s economic/political policies in Soviet Union 1945-1953
• Influential period
• Economic/political policies from second five year plan to era of high stalinism, reshaped soviet society
• Policies drastically affected soviet economy, politics, daily lives of citizens, impacts remain a topic of scholarly debate
• Robert Service → profound economic transformation
• Sheila Fitzpatrick → emphasises social mobility as a side effect
• Sarah Davies/James Harris → stress atmosphere of fear/repression resulting from these policies
• In assessing the impact of Stalin’s policies its important to acknowledge these differing perspectives/consider broader implications
• Major focus under Stalin’s rule was economic transformation of soviet union
• • Stalin aimed to rapidly industrialised largely agrarian economy to match/surpass capitalist west
  • Economic policies (Five Year Plans) crucial to this process
• • Following devastation of WWII, Fourth five year plan (1946-50) aimed to reconstruct economy/restore industrial/agricultural production
  • Focused on heavy industries (steel/coal) → essential for reconstruction effort/military power
  • Service → these plans, despite shortcomings and costs, significantly modernised soviet union
  • Steel production increased from 12 million tons 1940, 71 in 1955, reflected transformation
• Service → acknowledges human cost of rapid industrialisation (famine, forced labour, displacement)
• Stalin’s political policies played a role in shaping socio-political landscape
• • After war (high stalinism continued political repression/authoritarian governance) 
  • Consolidation of personality cult around stalin solidified his control with stalin portrayed as the father of nations/genius of humanity
• • Davis/Harris → highlights atmosphere of fear created by Great purges/mass repressions
  • Argued Stalin’s policies bred an environment of terror where dissent was crushed, loyalty to party as a only means of survival
• • Period saw widespread purges, show trials, executions with NKVD playing a role in enforcing stalin’s will
• • Fitzpatrick → Stalin’s rule created opportunities for social mobility
  • State’s control over education and jobs, people from humble backgrounds could ascend social ladder, particularly if they displayed ideological commitment
  • Dispute underlying fear/repression, possibility of upward mobility was a side effect of Stalin’s policies
• • Evaluating societal impacts of Stalin’s policies offer another lens through which to measure their effects
  • Cultural revolution aimed to create a new soviet person - ideologically committed, disciplined, and cultured
• • Policies targeted illiteracy, significant results (1950 over 90% people 9-49 could read and write, initiatives led to homogenisation of cultures, suppression of minority languages, and promotion of russian as a language of interethnic communication
• • Service → drive to create soviet identity transformed society, mass literacy campaign (success)
  • Fitzpatrick → acknowledges ^ highlights suppression of individuality and ethnic diversity (both positive/negative repercussions)