The Peasant ProblemThe Peasant Problem PeasantsPeasants were the biggest benefactor were the biggest benefactor

of the revolution of the revolution land reform; had land reform; had little interestlittle interest in socialism in socialism

Even with NEP, grain production still Even with NEP, grain production still lower than 1913 levelslower than 1913 levels

Crisis in 1927Crisis in 1927: grain : grain prices fallprices fall; ; peasants sell ½ as much to state peasants sell ½ as much to state agencies as in 1926; not enough to agencies as in 1926; not enough to feed the citiesfeed the cities

Government blames NEPGovernment blames NEP StalinStalin orders draconian requisitioning orders draconian requisitioning

methodsmethods

The Great TurnThe Great Turn (The Second Revolution)(The Second Revolution)

DefinitionDefinition: : The radical change in The radical change in economic policy in 1928/1929 which economic policy in 1928/1929 which

Abandoned the Abandoned the New Economic Policy New Economic Policy (NEP)(NEP) and accelerated and accelerated collectivizationcollectivization. .

The term was taken from Stalin's The term was taken from Stalin's article article "Year of the Great Turn" "Year of the Great Turn" published on November 7, 1929published on November 7, 1929

The Great TurnThe Great Turn (The Second Revolution)(The Second Revolution)

Why did Stalin support the Great Turn?Why did Stalin support the Great Turn? 1) 1) 1927-19281927-1928: Stalin feared attack from : Stalin feared attack from

Britain, France, & Poland (Japan?)Britain, France, & Poland (Japan?)– Need for strong industry to combat WestNeed for strong industry to combat West

2) A 2) A growing proletariatgrowing proletariat would broaden would broaden support for communism in Russiasupport for communism in Russia

3) Saw himself as a 3) Saw himself as a modernmodern Ivan the Ivan the TerribleTerrible or or Peter the GreatPeter the Great who would who would modernize Russia & modernize Russia & Great PowerGreat Power

The Great TurnThe Great Turn (The Second Revolution)(The Second Revolution)

Why did Stalin support the Great Turn?Why did Stalin support the Great Turn? 4) A successful Russian economy would 4) A successful Russian economy would

impress workersimpress workers around the worldaround the world & & increase the appeal of communismincrease the appeal of communism

5) Many party members supported the 5) Many party members supported the “modernization” of the Soviet economy“modernization” of the Soviet economy– SignificanceSignificance of the Great Turnof the Great Turn: policies : policies

brought great change to the Communist Party brought great change to the Communist Party & the relationship between Party & people& the relationship between Party & people

Is this where the Soviet Union “went Is this where the Soviet Union “went wrong”?wrong”?

The First Five-Year Plan (1928-The First Five-Year Plan (1928-1933)1933) Fifteenth Party CongressFifteenth Party Congress 1 1stst FYP FYP

– Official end to NEPOfficial end to NEP AimAim:: To industrialize the USSR To industrialize the USSR GoalsGoals::

– 250% increase in industrial production 250% increase in industrial production – 150% increase in farm production150% increase in farm production

Detailed targets producedDetailed targets produced for all for all industry; but in reality there was industry; but in reality there was little little planningplanning from the top; government used from the top; government used terror terror increases increases

Planning occurredPlanning occurred @ the @ the local & regionallocal & regional level to make sense of the instructions level to make sense of the instructions they were giventhey were given

Propaganda (First Five Year Propaganda (First Five Year Plan)Plan)

CollectivizationCollectivization Why did Stalin introduce collectivization?Why did Stalin introduce collectivization?

– Need for capitalNeed for capital to finance industrialization; to finance industrialization; farm exports farm exports revenue revenue

– The The existing systemexisting system was was unlikely to produceunlikely to produce more food; peasant farms too small to utilize more food; peasant farms too small to utilize modern equipmentmodern equipment

Unless change was implementedUnless change was implemented, Stalin , Stalin would face annual grain crises and/or be would face annual grain crises and/or be held ransomheld ransom by peasants & kulaks (who by peasants & kulaks (who had little sympathy with communism)had little sympathy with communism)

Collective farms Collective farms would use less labor – would use less labor – modern techniques – release people modern techniques – release people citiescities

3 Main Types of Collective 3 Main Types of Collective FarmFarm

TozToz – peasants owned their land but shared – peasants owned their land but shared machinery & cooperated in activities machinery & cooperated in activities (sowing & harvesting)(sowing & harvesting)

SovkhozSovkhoz – owned & run by the state; – owned & run by the state; peasants paid a wage (like a factory peasants paid a wage (like a factory worker)worker)

KolkhozKolkhoz – land was held in common and run – land was held in common and run by elected committee; 50-100 households by elected committee; 50-100 households put together; all land, tools & livestock put together; all land, tools & livestock pooled; farmed the land as one unit but pooled; farmed the land as one unit but retained retained 1 acre of private land 1 acre of private land + a + a “cow, a “cow, a pig, & a fowl”pig, & a fowl”

Soviet Soviet propaganda poster: poster: "Comrade, come and join the "Comrade, come and join the

kolkhoz!"!"

Collective FarmCollective Farm

War on the KulaksWar on the Kulaks Voluntary collectivization was unsuccessfulVoluntary collectivization was unsuccessful By 1929By 1929, 90% of peasants did not join collective , 90% of peasants did not join collective

farmsfarms 1928-19291928-1929: Grain : Grain cities lower than ever cities lower than ever StalinStalin: :

– 1) forced 25 million peasants to form 240,000 1) forced 25 million peasants to form 240,000 collective farmscollective farms

– 2) kulaks were to be destroyed2) kulaks were to be destroyed Dec. 1929Dec. 1929: mass collectivization & : mass collectivization &

“dekulakization” began; met with violent “dekulakization” began; met with violent opposition (esp. Ukraine); opposition crushedopposition (esp. Ukraine); opposition crushed

NKVD & Red Army troopsNKVD & Red Army troops surrounded towns; surrounded towns; used machine guns to force surrender used machine guns to force surrender (transported survivors to remote areas where (transported survivors to remote areas where many died of starvation & diseasemany died of starvation & disease

War on the Kulaks (cont’d)War on the Kulaks (cont’d) March 1930March 1930: ½ of the peasants joined : ½ of the peasants joined

collective farms; productivity destroyedcollective farms; productivity destroyed– Many Many slaughteredslaughtered animals instead of giving animals instead of giving

them to collective farmsthem to collective farms– Many collective farms were hopelessly Many collective farms were hopelessly

inefficientinefficient; crop yields plummeted ; crop yields plummeted – Faced with Faced with faminefamine, Stalin back-tracked, Stalin back-tracked

““Dizzy with Success”Dizzy with Success” article published article published

““Dizzy with Success”Dizzy with Success” This is a reference to an article This is a reference to an article

published in Pravda (March 1930) that published in Pravda (March 1930) that suggested collectivization had been suggested collectivization had been pushed ahead too quickly by party pushed ahead too quickly by party officials who were “dizzy with success”officials who were “dizzy with success”– The pace needed to be slowed – so The pace needed to be slowed – so

houses, small plots and animals would no houses, small plots and animals would no longer be collectivizedlonger be collectivized

– Peasants left collective farms @ an Peasants left collective farms @ an alarming rate & planted the spring wheatalarming rate & planted the spring wheat

Once this happened, Stalin resumed Once this happened, Stalin resumed collectivization (summer 1930)collectivization (summer 1930)

CollectivizationCollectivization 19351935: 94% of crop land was : 94% of crop land was

collectivizedcollectivized See “A plan of a collective farm” See “A plan of a collective farm”

page 161 in SHP CRULS page 161 in SHP CRULS

Rate of population decline in Ukraine Rate of population decline in Ukraine

and South Russia. 1929-1932and South Russia. 1929-1932

Victims of Victims of the Famine the Famine (Holodomor)(Holodomor)

The Famine 1932-1933. The Famine 1932-1933.

Results of CollectivizationResults of Collectivization Stalin achieved his aimsStalin achieved his aims Farming Farming mechanized mechanized

– 19301930: 25,000 tractors & 1,000 combines: 25,000 tractors & 1,000 combines– 19401940: 525,000 tractors & 182,000 combines: 525,000 tractors & 182,000 combines– 19401940: wheat crop 80% higher than in 1913: wheat crop 80% higher than in 1913

Growing towns had a regular supply of foodGrowing towns had a regular supply of food Grain exportedGrain exported Labor released for industryLabor released for industry Life in the countryside closer to communist Life in the countryside closer to communist

idealsideals

Results of CollectivizationResults of Collectivization Stalin’s policies can be seen as disastrousStalin’s policies can be seen as disastrous:: Human costHuman cost: 1931-1933 10 million died of : 1931-1933 10 million died of

famine (esp. Ukraine); some parents even famine (esp. Ukraine); some parents even killed & ate their childrenkilled & ate their children

Stalin’s wifeStalin’s wife suicide in 1932; blamed him suicide in 1932; blamed him for the misery in the USSRfor the misery in the USSR

By 1933By 1933: livestock production fell to the 1928 : livestock production fell to the 1928 levellevel

Collective farms Collective farms inefficientinefficient Government interferenceGovernment interference & lack of worker & lack of worker

incentive; mechanization slow to arrive; incentive; mechanization slow to arrive; peasants peasants poorly paidpoorly paid & the promised & the promised schoolsschools & & clinicsclinics rarely materialized rarely materialized

IndustrializationIndustrialization The First Five Year PlanThe First Five Year Plan: : Top priorityTop priority was given to was given to heavy industryheavy industry (iron, steel, chemicals, electric power, (iron, steel, chemicals, electric power,

etc.); focus on production of weapons & etc.); focus on production of weapons & military improvementsmilitary improvements

Low priorityLow priority to to light industrylight industry (consumer (consumer goods); enough to provide people with goods); enough to provide people with minimal living conditionsminimal living conditions

The State Planning CommissionThe State Planning Commission ((GosplanGosplan) determined all economic ) determined all economic matters (wages, factories, products, matters (wages, factories, products, etc.)etc.)

Poster from Poster from 1930, translation 1930, translation reads: reads: ““We Will We Will Turn the Five Turn the Five Year Plan into a Year Plan into a Four Year One”Four Year One”

IndustrializationIndustrialization (1(1stst FYP) To achieve production goals, the FYP) To achieve production goals, the

CommunistsCommunists:: 1) used 1) used propagandapropaganda better days ahead better days ahead Many young workers formed “shock Many young workers formed “shock

brigades”brigades” 2) rewarded outstanding workers with 2) rewarded outstanding workers with

pay differentialspay differentials & social approval & social approval 3) punished unsuccessful plant managers 3) punished unsuccessful plant managers

by by demotion & arrestdemotion & arrest as saboteurs as saboteurs NoteNote: treat all statistics from this time : treat all statistics from this time

with cautionwith caution

IndustrializationIndustrialization Weaknesses of the 1Weaknesses of the 1stst FYP FYP:: 1) quantity put @ the expense of 1) quantity put @ the expense of

qualityquality 2) living standards remain low (no 2) living standards remain low (no

priority to consumer goods)priority to consumer goods) 3) people could lose their jobs if they 3) people could lose their jobs if they

were sick; simple errors & accidents were sick; simple errors & accidents were labeled as were labeled as “sabotage”“sabotage”

4) factory managers under enormous 4) factory managers under enormous pressure, may be declared an enemy pressure, may be declared an enemy of the stateof the state

5) secret police deployed in the factory5) secret police deployed in the factory