Chapter 2.2: To what extent did Stalin's dictatorship devastate the Soviet Union?
Economic Impact
Social Impact
Political Impact
Impact of policies on various social groups
Rapid Industrialisation
Collectivisation
Stalin started to rapidly industrialise the country. Factories in cities would also produce equipment for the mechanisation of farming -> fewer farmers were needed -> more people can work in the factories. The Soviet Union would place emphasis on the development of heavy industries.
Evaluation of Five-Year Plans
Lenin's NEP allowed farmers to sell extra crops for profit to encourage production of crops -> a new class of rich peasants - the kulaks. However, some hoarded food while others did not sell theirs -> food shortages.
Stalin sought to modernise the Soviet Union through a series of five year plans, encompassing both agricultural & industrial developments. 1st five year plan(1928-1932) -> expanding industry, transport, and power supply. 2nd five year plan(1933-1938) -> manufactured goods, including those for the farms. 3rd five year plan (1939-) -> luxury items but stopped due to WWII.
Due to collectivisation, the Communist Party became unpopular + a lot of resentment -> difficulty in getting local party secretaries to meet the high grain collection targets and identify kulaks. In 1932, Party Secretary Ryutin circulated a 200 page document criticising Stalin.
The Great Terror (1934-1938)
Propaganda: Cult of the leader
To consolidate his power and enforce party discipline, Stalin initiated the purges, a campaign to remove opposition. Between 1934-1938, there were show trials, arrests, interrogations, widespread police surveillance, and executions. Stalin used the 1934 Kirov affair to do away with his political opponents in the party. This period was known as the Great Terror.
Arrests & Interrogations
Purges & Show Trials
Stalin used propaganda extensively to build up his image and establish a cult - used various mediums such as books, art, posters, paintings, musicals, and film to generate more loyalty to himself, made sure that he was always pictured in ordinary clothes to allow the people to relate to him, all achievements and success were attributed to him + Disloyal rivals were removed from history.
To deal with the Kirov assassination, Stalin purged the Leningrad Party – Kirov’s powerbase. Those identified were mainly accused of being Trotsky supporters and executed. These included Kamenev, Zinoviev, and Bukharin -> forced to confess to crimes they never committed – a show trial.
Loss of Intellectuals, Skilled workers & Officers
Stalin continued with peasants and other intellectuals such as scientists, engineers, and teachers. Some were executed while others were sent to forced labour camps – the Gulags. By 1937, 39 million people were executed + over 3 million people were imprisoned in forced labour camps.
It had a grave impact on the Soviet Union, as she lost groups
of intellectuals, skilled workers and officers -> affected efficiency in managing affairs of the government.
Living in fear
State Control of Society
Under Stalin, all private enterprise was banned. The state provided major social goods. However, they were often in short supply.
Famine
Fall in standard of living
Lack of consumer goods
Workers lived in crowded cities with cramped living conditions, often without running water or sanitation. They worked long hours with little pay.
The Soviet Union also experienced famines due to the collectivisation policy. Grain was distributed overseas at the expense of farmers. In the Great Famine from 1932-1934, 7 million peasants died.
Stalin’s Five-Year Plans mainly focused on agricultural and industrial targets. The focus on industrial goods meant that there was little consumer goods available for the locals.
There were police informers everywhere -> People afraid of being watched and judged + worried about the consequences as anything could be used as a cause to be purged – not doing well at work, upsetting an official, or passing an unkind remark - a panopticon-like experience.
Stalin sought to merge farms together into larger collective farms, kolkhozy -> more efficient farming. Goal: share resources to aid in the production of food for export -> Raise funds for USSR industrialisation + a steady supply of food for the workers.
It began rather disastrously in 1928 and only regained its previous levels in 1950. Land was owned by the state. Hours and prices were fixed. The kulaks resented it greatly and killed off their own livestock. -> could not earn profits.
In the initial years, the targets were often not met, it propelled the Soviet Union to be an industrial powerbase by 1941. However, little was done for the consumers. Some factories produced little due to shortages whilst others produced more -> a lot of wastage + quality of products were also sub-standard and potentially hazardous.
In the Red Army, Nikolai Yezhov and many others were also arrested and executed. Due to their closeness with Trotsky, Stalin distrusted many of the high-ranking commanders and officers. He had them executed and promoted younger members -> ensured the army’s loyalty.
Women's entry into the workforce
Creating the 'New Soviet Man'
Compulsory schooling & increased literacy rates
Minority nationalities
The Communist prized education and made school attendance compulsory. Every child was entitled to 9 years of free education -> Increased literacy rates for both men and women. The Communist also used schools to indoctrinate them and made them loyal to the party. Teenagers were encouraged to join the Komsomol.
Women had a more prominent role to play under Stalin. Under Stalin, Russia legalised divorce and abortion, and women were encouraged to work in the workforce. However, abortion later became illegal to protect motherhood.
Together with the First Five Year Plan, Stalin launched a Cultural Revolution from 1929-1931, where he criticised intellectuals and the religious, and celebrated proletarian values. To motivate the people, the Soviet Union created the ‘New Soviet Man’, the ideal Soviet Citizens who were willing and selfless in their service to the country.
Minority Nationalities and their republics lost autonomy with the creation of the Soviet Union in December 1922. The Communist party controlled the development of these republics. Leaders in nationalist groups, who advocated for autonomy, were purged during the Great Terror.
One manifestation of such an ideal were the Stakhanovites. They were noted for the ability to exceed targets. Initially, they spurred others. However, many later resented and hated such people for worsening their workloads.