SECTION 4 THE FIVE YEAR PLANS PART TWO YOU NEED TO KNOW: ACHIEVEMENTS/PROBLEMS OF THE SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN THE AIMS OF THE THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN EXAMPLE EXAM QUESTION: How far did the priorities of the three Five- Year Plans change in the years 1929–41? 30 marks

THE SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN ACHIEVEMENTS TARGETS WERE MORE REALISTIC TRANSPORT-MOSCOW METRO OPENED, MOSCOW- VOLGA CANAL LIVING STANDARDS SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT E.G. BREAD RATIONING ENDED WAGES INCREASED PROBLEMS LITTLE CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY FEAR OF PUNISHMENT MEANT NO ONE WAS ABLE TO CRITICISE THE PLAN. THE PRACTICE OF LYING ABOUT FIGURES CONTINUED ONGOING SHORTAGES FOR ORDINARY RUSSIANS HOUSING AND AMENITIES CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM. INEQUALITY- COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIALS GOT TO LIVE IN LUXURY

THE THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN ENDED AFTER 3 ½ YEARS DUE TO RUSSIA ENTERING WORLD WAR TWO. DEVISED TO PREPARE RUSSIA FOR WAR WITH GERMANY THERE WERE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH PRODUCTION METHODS AND QUALITY OF GOODS. PLANNERS DIVERTED RESOURCES AWAY FROM CONSUMER GOODS TO DEFENCE SPENDING – 9 NEW AIRCRAFT FACTORIES MAY 1941 STALIN TOOK CONTROL OF THE DEFENCE INDUSTRY DIRECTLY (BELIEVED WAR WAS IMMINANT). THIS ENDED GOSPLAN’S RESPINSIBILITY FOR RUSSIA’S MILITARY ECONOMY. THEREFORE BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE 1941 THE 3 RD FIVE YEAR PLAN CAME TO AN END.

AREASUCCESSFAILURE REARMAMENTCONSTRUCTION OF 9 NEW AIRCRAFT FACTORIES QUALITY OF GOODS PRODUCED VARIED HEAVY INDUSTRY COAL PRODUCTION GREW RAPIDLY PRODUCTION OF CRUDE OIL ROSE MARGINALLY THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL DID NOT IMPROVE WORKER DISCIPLINE SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT FOR SUCCESSFUL WORKERS HARD FOR SOME FACTORIES TO RETAIN/RECRUIT NEEDED INTERNAL PASSPORTS TO STOP WORKER MOVEMENT INCREASED USE OF TERROR TO MOTIVATE MANAGERS

THE “GREAT RETREAT” WOMEN, FAMILY AND EDUCATION IN STALIN’S RUSSIA

INDUSTRY During the 1930s many women entered the Russian workforce for the first time. The Communist Party reasserted traditional gender roles. Women joined the industrial labour force in large numbers because of….. THE FIVE YEAR PLANS. 3 million (1928) to 13 million (1940). By 1940 in some cities women made up ½ the workforce. The allocation of places in higher or technical education was increased for women. BUT women continued to be paid less than men. (60-65% of what the men were paid in the same job). Women were important in agriculture too and made up 80% of collective farm workers by The most celebrated rural Stakhonovites were female. MAKING BABIES There was a decline in the birth rate in the 1930s. CAN YOU THINK WHY? Rewards were introduced for women who had large families. Abortion was discouraged. Terminations were banned unless medically necessary.

IN THE HOME Women were also expected to be responsible for household chores. Wives of Party officials were expected not to work and manage “a well- ordered Communist home”. They were expected to be involved in the “wife activist movement”. They were expected to be ideal wives. Those who employed nannies were frowned upon and were expected to do their duty at home. FAMILY LIFE The 1930’s was a turning point. In the first phase of the revolution marriage and family life were rejected as “bourgeois institutions”. This was called the Great Retreat. Traditional gender roles were reasserted across Russia. Stalin was portrayed as the father of the Soviet people in propaganda Soviet press started a campaign to show Stalin as a family man. Propaganda aimed to stress the importance of family and stigmatise irresponsible men.

MARRIAGE The value of marriage was re-emphasised in the 1930’s under Stalin. Wedding rings (banned in 1928) were reintroduced in Marriage certificates were printed on high quality paper from Party members who were married were given better homes. Communist husbands were expected to be devoted and could be expelled from the Party for having affairs census: 91% of men and 82% of women aged between 30 and 39 were married. SEX 1934 the government promoted sexual abstinence. The aim was to cut divorce and family breakdown. Incest, bigamy, adultery and homosexuality were re- criminalised in Contraceptive devices all but disappeared (Gosplan). In 1936 the sale of all birth control resources ended.

DIVORCE The Communists experiments with free love and relaxed divorce laws had led to spiralling divorce rates in urban areas 2/3 of marriages ended in divorce. This led to impoverishment of women and more orphans. In 1936 new laws were introduced for divorce. The cost was high, penalties were introduced for fathers who did not pay. Absconding husbands were tracked down and some were sent to prison. BUT the support was for women who conformed to traditional roles as wife and mother. EDUCATION Stalin wanted discipline, hard work and tradition reasserted. KOMSOMOL (The Communist Union of Youth was set up). Parents were expected to teach their children to respect the Soviet government. In 1935 a new curriculum was introduced to improve literacy and numeracy ( that had dropped under the more idealistic education of 1920’s Communism). e.g.: History became more nationalistic (focus on Great Russians). Core subjects were set. Subjects included Communist Ideology. National examinations were introduced. Emphasis on strict discipline. This was designed to prepare children for the harsh regulation of the workplace under the Five Year Plans. Spending was reduced due to the Five Year Plans. Fees were introduced. Grants were available, but children of Party officials were favoured.

THE GREAT RETREAT? STALIN’S SOCIAL POLICY WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN HIS ECONOMIC POLICY THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION WERE REPLACED BY TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO RUSSIA’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS THEREFORE THE “GREAT RETREAT” WAS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF STALIN’S REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE.