Collectivisation And Industrialisation Stalin example essay topic

Stalin came into power in 1928 and from then on it was his aim to modernise the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union, in comparison with much of Europe was extremely backwards, although Europe was in a time of economic depression, as the Soviet Union had failed to have an industrial revolution they still had less economic power. Stalin realised that an industrial revolution would have to take place in order to modernise the Soviet Union. However he did not want to go about in the same way as the rest of Europe, as he believed that it was their Capitalist system that had led to the economic depression they were now experiencing.

Karl Marx had suggested that political and social systems were a direct product of their economic structure. Stalin stood this theory on its head and let the political system that the Bolsheviks had created determine the character of the economy. Stalin's main aims were: to introduce Socialism, to end opposition to the Communist Party, end peasant independence, and change Soviet society. He feared that Soviet Russia would be crushed by other European States it if remained backwards. Stalin proposed to change the Soviet Union dramatically by the methods of industrialisation and collectivisation: "The transformation of our country from an agrarian into an industrial one, capable by its own means of producing necessary means". In order to achieve the modernisation of the Soviet Union massive reconstruction of industry would be required.

One of Stalin's first decisions was to abolish the NEP set up by Lenin. This was a significant change as it enabled Stalin to proceed with his plan for the collectivisation of agriculture. The collectivisation of agriculture meant that private land was taken into state ownership. State farms (sovkhozy) and collective farms (kalkhozy) were set up. The Kalkhozy were run as co-operatives, which the peasants would have to work on, sharing labour and wages and putting all their own resources into it.

The sovkhozy were different as the peasants worked directly for the state and the, workers received their pay from the state. The collectivisation of farms meant that from 50-100 holdings formed a unit; this was because larger farms were more efficient so machinery could be used. As machinery could be used less workers would be needed to man the farms, therefore the workers could move to the cities and become industrial workers instead. Collectivisation of agriculture was introduced to end private peasant ownership therefore ending Capitalism. Collectivisation resulted in agriculture directly serving the interests of the Soviet State. Stalin's aim was to make farms more efficient, this meant cheap food would be supplied and the number of rural workers would decrease.

This meant increasing numbers could move to the city creating more urban workers, this helped Stalin's other method of modernising Russia, industrialisation. The collectivisation of agriculture started 'the second revolution' in 1928. 'The Second Revolution' was the result of Stalin's decisions about the USSR's economy. He had decided to turn the USSR into a socialist state. By introducing collectivisation and industrialisation Stalin showed people the strategies, which were to be used to modernise the Soviet Union. This ended all the arguments, which arose within the Party about 'NEP', 'Socialism in One Country' and 'Permanent Revolution' which rose after the 1917 revolution.

Stalin clarified the Parties intentions which would allow the USSR to industrialism and control the economy. During collectivisation another of Stalin's main aims was to crush a group of wealthy peasant he called the 'Kulaks'. He believed that they were holding back the workers revolution and that they would prevent the modernisation of the USSR. Although it is quite possible that there may have been a number of Russian peasants who fitted into Stalin's description, it is unlikely that a whole class of people could have been identified as Kulak's. Stalin's propaganda claim was that the Kulaks owned the most fertile land and employed cheap labour to farm it.

Stalin claimed that they were exploiting the poorer peasants, however in reality this was a Stalinist myth. Stalin's campaign against the alleged Kulaks proved very successful as he effectively oppressed the peasants he had branded as Kulaks. In some regions of Russia Stalin carried out what is now known as 'de-kulakisation'. The poor peasants were happy to oblige as it provided them with the opportunity to settle old disputes with the richer peasants who they resented. They attacked the so-called Kulaks and their families using violence. The 'de-kulakisation' was also preformed by official anti-kulak squads who arrested and deported the Kulaks.

Although when it was introduced, collectivisation was said to be 'voluntary', in reality the peasants were forced to take part. The peasants were opposed to collectivisation as they felt their land was being stolen from them. Their resistance lead to near civil war in 1930. The peasants resisted by hiding their grain, killing their livestock, refusing to grow food and by destroying their crops.

Destroying crops and killing livestock resulted in there being no surplus food for the Bolsheviks to trade and distribute between the industrial workers. If collectivisation was to work the peasant resistance would have to be crushed, Stalin needed the peasants to work in the factories and farm the land to provide food, which was needed for his Five Year Plan. Stalin needed total control over the peasants and any resistance could compromise this. The peasants resistance was overcome mainly through violence. The peasants were threatened, beaten up, raided, murdered and deported to stop them resisting to collectivisation. Stalin's methods were ruthless, however this did not stop the people from losing faith in him.

Stalin decided on policies and told officials what to do, the officials then carried out these policies, the peasants blamed the officials. Therefore the peasants did not blame Stalin for the way they were treated. The process of collectivisation was extremely rapid, as by 1941 98% of peasant holdings had been collectivised. Obviously this is a massive proportion of holdings during such a short period of time. The collectivisation of agriculture was a process which rapidly and consistently worked, already by 1933 66.4% of agriculture had been collectivised. The indirect result of collectivisation was that a large number of peasants were imprisoned, deported or executed as a punishment for their resistance to collectivisation.

This led to less food being produced as many experienced farm workers had been killed; the Party members sent to replace the peasants were ignorant to farming techniques. Most of the surplus food produced was deported to other countries. Thus leading to national famine. Although the national famine, which had taken hold of Russia, was reported in the foreign press, only two oblique references were made in the Russian press. Stalin refused to admit there was a famine. For Stalin, politically, it was hugely significant that word did not get out as it would protect his image, described as 'the great planner' this news would contradict the Russian peoples views of him.

However as the famine was never officially announced it prevented the introduction of any measures for remedying the distress. Therefore no steps were taken to deal with it; also appeals to other countries for assistance could not be made, as had been done in 1921. It was described as 'the first purely man made famine in history'. The famine went unnoticed, and millions of Russian lives were sacrificed, to save Stalin's reputation. Collectivisation of agriculture was incredibly unsuccessful. It achieved very little, and lead to national famine, a near revolution due to the peasants resentment towards it and sacrificed the lives of between 10 and 15 million Russians.

During Stalin's reign, his crimes against the Party and people were unknown and not until 1989 were they fully publicised. Collectivisation simply made no sense, not even on economic grounds. At its introduction a large increase in capital was expected, however collectivisation failed to live up to its expectations. The main problem was that a surplus was never produced which could be sold to raise capital.

Although by 1929 food production was on the increase, less than enough to feed the population was produced. If Stalin had simply provided rat poison and properly ventilate barns then the saving of food stocks would have made collectivisation unnecessary. However by 1939 grain production still had not reached that of 1913, also the famine that swept the country and killed millions would have been avoidable. Collectivisation increased economic and food problems within the USSR. However from Stalin's view collectivisation was a political success as it crushed the peasants and introduced socialism into the countryside.

However socially it was a disaster for the peasants who suffered severely. Also economically it was a failure as food production fell during the period. Secondly Stalin introduced industrialisation, which was key to turning Soviet Russia into a modern state. In a socialist economy, industrialisation meant that all industry belonged to the state and all profits are shared among the workers. Industry was developed by the state. The state instructed factories that it had built to produce certain amounts of their goods; the goals set out for production were contained in the Fps.

Stalin declared to the people that by introducing industrialisation he was 'promoting a great leap forward, as a war on the inefficiencies of Russia's past, as a war against the class enemies within, and as a preparation for war against the nation's capitalist enemies abroad. ' By industrialisation Stalin was trying to create a war economy. By industry, he meant heavy industry and iron, steel and oil production were used as they provided the sinew for war. Stalin saw that the Western European and the North American industrial revolutions had been based on iron and steel production. He wanted to take a similar route to modernise Russia, however unlike Western Europe and North America he would take a socialist route rather than a capitalist route. During Stalin's period of industrialisation, the Great Depression was happening in the West.

Stalin used this as evidence that the capitalist countries were in decline, as predicted by Marx. By choosing socialism over capitalism, Stalin told the people, that Russia would avoid the errors destroying Western economy and become prosperous. Stalin introduced the five-year plans, they were a series of programmes for industrial development; each Five-Year Plan contained a set of targets for the output of production. Gosplan, the state planning authority created in the 1920's, were instructed by Stalin to draw up the list of quotas, which ranged across the entire of Soviet industry. Here are the set of aims for the First Five Year Plan: Product 1927-28 1932-33 1932 1932 (in million tons) 1st plan Optimal Amended Actual Coal 35.0 75.0 95-105 64.0 Oil 11.7 21.7 40-55 21.4 Iron Ore 6.7 20.2 24-32 12.1 Pig Iron 3.2 10.0 15-16 6.2 The First Five Year Plan was a huge propaganda project, aimed at convincing the Soviet people that they were being engaged in a great industrial enterprise of their own making. Stalin convinced the people that by their own efforts they could shape the society which they lived in, they could make it safe from invasion and provide Russia with the means to become a great country.

The Soviet people were not forced into taking part in industrialisation; the young especially were so inspired and enthusiastic that they were 100% committed to the cause. They genuinely believed they were creating a new and better society for themselves and their children. The people believed they were taking part in a cultural revolution. As at first due to the great enthusiasm and inspiration of the Soviet people, a far higher amount of products were being produced than expected. Because of this the quotas in all areas of industry were raised.

Unfortunately, the amended quotas were unobtainable, and the people failed to produce enough to meet these targets. It was due to the people's enthusiasm that the first-five year plan gained its results. Although many boosted their production levels so as to meet the targets, even when this is taken into account, still the first-five year plan produced an extraordinary result. Coal, iron and the generation of electrical power were all increased in huge proportions.

However the production of steel and chemicals was less impressive, and the production of textiles actually decreased. Industrialisation called for sacrifice and dedication on the part of the workers. Workers used to poor living conditions sacrificed what little luxuries they had to live and work in the cities. There was a neglect of basic social needs; living conditions worsened until they were far poorer than the already poor standards.

This was a direct result of the plan as improving living conditions had never been one of its aims. The workers also had to cope with the production of consumer articles being given low priority. Although few resisted industrialisation, if they did they would face dire consequences. Stalin branded resistance to the plan as national 'sabotage'. Crucial to this was his hostility of the outside world, he was able to impress upon his people that resistance was a betrayal of their own country. He emphasised his point by a series of trials of industrial 'wreckers'.

Initially 'sabotage' referred to resistance of the Five Year Plans, but was later used, as a blanket term with which to denounce anyone not committed enough to the new Soviet order. It allowed Stalin to shift blame for inefficiency and under-production on the managerial elite who were not committed to the Five Year Plan. The simplest error such as being late or accidentally damaging tools could lead to being condemned. O GRU agents and Party Cadres were sent to the factories to spy.

Those who failed to meet requirement could find themselves on public trial as an enemy of the Soviet State. In 1928 Stalin claimed to have discovered an anti-Soviet conspiracy among mining engineers in Shakhty. The Shakhty trail showed that the privileged position of the skilled workers was no longer tolerable. This attack upon the managerial elite relate to the emphasis upon quantity at the expense of quality.

Sheer volume was important; quality control was shelved, as it was not regarded as a measure of success. As skilled workers did not have Stalin's favour and it was untrained peasants that poured into the factories quality suffered due to their ignorance. Sheila Fitzpatrick has termed this 'gigantomania. The lack of quality caused problems, although large numbers of agricultural tools were being made, they often broke down quickly. Industrialisation was a huge political success. Stalin lead the Soviet people into a modern society which was one of his main aims.

Also socialism was protected as the USSR could protect itself from invasion. All opposition to Stalin was being crushed; any resistance from Party of people was flattened. It was also an economic success for the country, industry in Russia flourished and was modernised, and a huge increase of productivity took place. However, as individuals the people were worse off as living conditions had fallen and there was a severe lack of consumer goods being produced. Like collectivisation, industrialisation was a social failure. It had created a sense of fear and pressure over the people, as they watched as many innocent people and their families were punished for imagined 'crimes'.

Soviet people made huge sacrifices as during this period standards of living fell, and any luxuries the people had were taken away.