How successful were Stalin’s industrial policies in developing the Russian economy in the years 1928-41 ? During the first five year plans Stalin focuses on developing the countries economy as a means to turn the Soviet Union into a modern world power and to improve the living standards of all Soviet citizens. Later in the period Stalin focusses on establishing Russia as a world power through strengthening Russia’s military power. In order to achieve this, Stalin believed in collectivisation and industrialization. By collectivizing and industrializing the agriculture and industries.
(8 marks) (d) Explain why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in October 1917. (8 marks) EITHER 2a) Explain how the economic policies of Lenin’s government changed in the years 1918-24. (8 marks) OR 2b) Explain how Stalin was able to overcome his leadership rivals in the years 1924-28. (8 marks) EITHER 3a) Was the use of propaganda the main reason Stalin was able to achieve complete control over the Soviet Union by 1939? Explain your answer.
It is apparent that he achieved this as 50% of peasants owned their own land by 1915 due to the introduction of the Peasant Land Bank on 15th November 1906. Also, agricultural output rose by 20 million tonnes between the years 1906-1913 meaning that Stolypin’s agricultural policies made a significant difference. Therefore, this suggests that Russia had moved in the direction of economic reform as this is all evidence towards an improvement in Russian economy between the years 1906 and 1914. Stolypin directly targeted the economy as a way to improve the Tsarist position as he believed that a more stable peasantry would lead to a more stable Russia. Consequently, it is accurate to say that Russia had moved in a large way towards economic reform in the years 1906-1914.
Stalin's reasons for launching the First Five-Year Plan were ideological, political and economic. Stalin believed that socialism was key if he wanted a highly advanced industrialised nation. The Communist revolution had taken place in an economically backward country which was perhaps a hundred years behind the advanced economies in the West. Therefore, in order to make the dream of socialism a reality, Stalin set an agenda - 'in ten years at most we must make good the distance which separates us from the advanced capitalist countries. Stalin had full control of the media in the Soviet Union.
How Successful Were the Policies of Industrialisation and Collectivisation Industrialisation and Collectivisation were both introduced by Stalin to modernise the USSR and its agriculture. They were designed to help meet the challenges that were to follow however Stalin had a big task on his hands. When he took over Russia after Lenin, the industry was only focused in a few major cities where the workers were badly educated and therefore unskilled. So, Stalin went about modernising Russia by introducing a series of five-year-plans. This was the beginning of industrialisation.
In addition, World War II introduced change through industrialisation, which was key to Russia’s success in the war. These key reforming leaders and other factors of change saw Russia grow from a very deprived country in 1856 to an industrial superpower in 1964. Alexander II became known as ‘Alexander the Great Reformer’ and ‘the Tsar Liberator’ which suggests that his work and reforms changed the nature of Russian government and society to a large extent. The emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 initially appeared to have major benefits for the serfs. As Alexander II said: “We vowed in our hearts to fulfil the mission which is entrusted to Us and to surround with Our affection and Our Imperial solicitude all Our faithful subjects of every rank and condition”2.
‘An economic success, but a human failure’ – how accurate is this interpretation of Stalin’s economic policies of the 1930’s Stalin’s economic policies during the 1930s was to introduce Collectivization and the Five Year plan: both were aimed to boost Russia’s industrialization and agriculture within a short period of time in order to catch up to the world’s leading powers, that is, America and Britain at the time. In Stalin’s perspective, it was necessary to go to any lengths to reverse the backward economy of the country as fast as possible to overtake other countries. Without it, he viewed it as a defeat to the Socialist fatherland and a loss of international independence. This essay will examine the economic successes of his policies and whether they were fully achieved. In addition it will also examine the human failures; this would be defined as human loss, death and or a decrease in living conditions and quality of life.
In spite of all these changing times and circumstances, the tension between the upper and lower classes remained tenser than ever before, building up under the fabric of society. Russian became industrialized during the 1930's when Joseph Stalin instituted a series of what he called “five year plans". The plans were designed to rapidly increase the industrial capacity of the Soviet Union and change it from an agrarian economy to an industrial one. The plans succeeded and Russia did become an industrialized nation. Prior to the “five year plans”, Russia had mostly a peasant farming economy.
Stalin’s rule brought both harmful and beneficial consequences to the Soviet Union. Among Stalin’s accomplishments to the building of Russia, many were indeed positive. Stalin introduced a five-year economic plan, which gave a number of quotas for both industry and agriculture. The fulfillment of the first and second Five-Year Plans strengthened the U.S.S.R.’s economic position (Document 1). In 1928, one of Stalin’s goals was to rapidly develop a heavy industry.
The Five-Year Plan was set up to quickly industrialized the economy with the idea to build up the heavy industry, but it set up impractical goals. The plan was to increase the development of industry 250% with the heavy industry expanding over 300%. Stalin nationalized the industries and services in the Soviet Union with the trade unions converted into systems for increasing the productivities of the workers. The managers of the industries dealt with central planners who set up a predetermined quota for the