Stalin

• In 1929, Stalin became undisputed leader of the USSR
• Stalin’s Economic Aims

  • USSR needed to industrialise.
  • This needed capital and manpower
  • The USSR was underdeveloped and could not borrow
  • Peasants needed to produce a surplus so land could exploited.
• • There were 3 types of collective farms
  • Toz: Peasants could own land but share machinary.
  • Sovkhoz: Peasants were paid a regular wage.
  • Kolkhoz: Each household could keep one private acre to grow vegetables. All livestock had to be pooled
• • Economically, Collectivisation was successful:
  • It helped paid for industrialisation.
  • Cotton harvests tripled and replaced imports.
  • There were 240,000 collectives.
• • Economically, Collectivisation also failed:
  • Massive human cost
  • Low morale and incentive to work.
  • There was 80% illiteracy
  • Peasants slaughtered 46% of livestock rather than hand over to collectives.
• • Politically, Collectivisation was successful:
  • First time soviet control over countryside
  • Reinforce Stalin’s control over USSR
• • Politically: Collectivisation also failed:
  • Millions of lives were disrupted.
  • There was a sense of betrayal (new serfdom)
  • Famine: 7 million dead
• The Five Year Plan

  • Heavy industry needed improvements.
  • Stalin and the Vesenkha (Supreme Economic Council) agreed that the majority of investment should go into coal, iron and steel.
  • The aim was to reduce dependency on the West and protect the Soviet Union if it were attacked by the West.
• • Overall POSITIVE impact of the Five Year Plans:
  • GNP increased by 60%, surpassing other nations
  • Population grew by 23 million to 170 million.
  • By 1940, the USSR had overtaken Britain in Iron and steel production
• • Overall NEGATIVE impact of the Five Year Plans:
  • 3 million people were in gulags (labour camps).
  • Achievements came at the cost of human neglect and suffering.
  • Meeting the plan was prioritised so quantity over quality.
  • Staggering amounts of iron and steel were found to be unusable but many still had no choice but to use it.
• • Major outcomes from the 5 Year Plans:
  • White Sea Canal: Provided transportation for goods between remote regions of northern Russia.
  • Shortened the distance between St. Petersburg and surrounding areas.
  • The first waterway build by prison labour (300,000 members of the gulag).
• Major outcomes from the 5 Year Plans:

  • Metro Underground: Opened in 1955 and showed that the socialist state could mobilise itself for great projects.
  • Used as a propaganda stunt.
• Sergei Kirov was a committed Bolshevik and held a powerful position in the party as Party Secretary in Leningrad. He was a promising future leader after Zinoviev's downfall.