The Soviet Union Under Stalin

Five-Year Plans Karl Marx predicted that the state would fade away, under Stalin’s communism it was the opposite. 1928 Stalin proposes five-year plans. Heavy industry Improved transportation Increase farm output Created a command economy-government officials make all basic economic decisions.

Five-Year Plans Industry Set high production goals for heavy industry and transportation. Achieved them by rewarding success and punishing failure. Between 1928-1939 factories, hydroelectric power stations, industrial complexes were built. Mining increased, railroads were built, and oil production increased. All of this progress did not raise the standard of living overall and many of the goods created were of low quality.

Five-Year Plans Agriculture Farmers needed to produce more grain to export and to feed the workers of the cities. Collectives- government owned land that peasants lived and farmed on. Gov. owned all things related to farming. Farmers protested-Stalin responds by taking all land from the kulaks (wealthy farmers). They are sent to work camps, gulags. Terror Famine-the gov. took all the grain to feed the workers. Peasants starve and die.

Question Why do you think the Russian people allowed so many people to starve and die so horribly; could it have been prevented by the people?

Methods of Control Terror as a weapon No regard for individual rights Police spies opened mail and planted listening devices. No free press. Protesters were severely punished. Any critics ended up in the Gulags where many died.

Methods of Control The Great Purge Started in 1934 and was his own reign of terror. Targeted Old Bolsheviks (people who helped in the revolution), army heroes, industrial managers, writers, and regular citizens. They got show (fake) trials and were usually executed. At least 4 million people were killed during the purge though the number is most likely higher.

Methods of Control Results of the Purge Stalin’s government gained power. However, many great thinkers, experts, and military leaders were killed. This weakened the Soviet Union in the lead up to WWII.

Methods of Control Propaganda Stalin created a cult of personality around himself. Propaganda was key and constant. Posters, billboards, over loudspeakers in factories, on the radio, at the movies, in the paper. Also constant reports of spies and threats to the Soviet Union at home and abroad.

Question Why do you think Stalin killed so many important people?

Daily Life Censorship of the Arts Art and literature was censored, artists had to show the USSR , and Stalin, in a positive light. If they did not they were tortured and/or exiled. Russification The move to make other parts of the Soviet Union more Russian. War on Religion Atheism, there is no god, became the official state stance. Priests were killed or sent to die in death camps. The writings of Marx and other things like the tomb of Lenin were made “sacred.”

Daily Life The New Elite Take Control Communism was supposed to erase all classes, instead the party was the new elite class. Only a select few could join the party and receive all the benefits. Also purge. Benefits and Drawbacks All children required to attend communist built schools. Adults had access to university and tech. schools. Programs for teens outside of school like sports and cultural activities. Provided free medical care, day care, and inexpensive housing. However, state housing was lacking, families lived in cramped one room apartments and food was not sufficient. Lots of bread little other things.

Daily Life Women In the Soviet Union Women were equal under the law. They had access to education and the workforce. By the 1930s women had jobs in medicine, engineering, and the sciences. They worked in factories as well and received the same wages as men.