The first five year plan, from 1928 to 1932, was a kick start to the Soviet economy; there was impressive growth in coal, oil, iron, steel, etc…. There were substantial achievements; however, many targets were not met.
The second five year plan, from 1933 to 1937, was more of consolidation. Transportation and communications grew rapidly in addition to the implementation of big investment projects. There were also several mining projects. Nevertheless, consumer goods industries were still lagging.
The third five year plan (although it was 3 years and a half), from 1938 to 1941, was not as productive in industrial work, but rather concentrated on armament resources which were increased for defensive purposes.
Results of Five year plans:
- Substantial growth and development of heavy industry. Impressive tasks were achieved.
- Improvement in industry along with the introduction of new industrial areas which helped transform the Soviet Union into an industrial front and made it able to defend itself from foreign invasion.
- However, there were targets that were not met, major shortages in products, living conditions remained abysmal and corruption and bribery were pervasive in the USSR.
Collectivization:
Another principle policy that was implemented by Stalin was collectivization which was considered to be an important part of the five year plans. Stalin wanted to implement this concept to increase food production for industrial workers, bureaucrats and to aid in the process of industrialization. In other terms, surplus grain and the excessive agricultural goods should finance industrialization in Russia. Collectivization was relatively popular between party members because it supported socialism in the sense that it eliminated the class of rich peasants (Kulaks).
Collectivization was carried out through collective farms where several farm units were merged together and it was owned and run by the state. The peasants farmed the land as one unit and the produce was given to the government. Peasants were in collective farms under party control and accordingly their will was broken.
Effect of Collectivization:
- In theory, it appeared to be an effective plan, however, in reality, it proved to be otherwise.
- The effect of collectivization on agricultural production was disastrous. Grain production went down dramatically in the 1930’s and this caused a famine which claimed the lives of millions. The Soviet Union also lost huge proportions of the animal population.
- The use of brutal methods, mass murders, mass arrests and the deportation of hundreds of peasants.
- Economically, collectivization was considered to be a disaster.
- However, there were some successes. Firstly it provided resources for industrialization as the state was able to collect the grain it needed through requisitioning. Secondly, the party in the end was able to control villages and made agriculture serve the towns and workers.
- Overall, the human cost was horrendous as there was an immense number of deaths ranging between the millions.
The Purges:
Stalin’s main policy to keep control of the Soviet Union was the Purges. The word purges means to clean out an organism of impurities and this was utilized by Stalin to suppress the oppositions he received from Russians.
At the end of the first five year plan, there was a great deal of hostility towards the Communist Party and concerns within the party about matters being taken care of. This caused growing signs of opposition to Stalin and a possibility that he would be replaced.
At the start of the 1930’s, the purges were initiated and the more inactive and illiterate working class were being purged. Then on the first of December, 1934, Kirov was murdered and this triggered the wave of terror know as the ‘Great Purges’. Kirov’s murder was perceived as the beginning of a new era, where important officials in the party itself were purged. Stalin wanted to remove the old Bolsheviks and other potential sources of oppositions within the party and replace them with the ‘nomenklatura’ who vested great interest in him. Officials who opposed the party were arrested and imprisoned or executed.
The purges also engulfed other sections of the population, notably the armed forces where influential and powerful army generals were purged because of fear that they might overthrow Stalin
Stalin used show trials and one of his most famous show trials was that of Zinoviev and Kamenev in 1935 and 1936.
In 1940, Stalin appointed a hitman to murder Trotsky, and by this, virtually all of the Bolsheviks were eliminated. Stalin then called a halt for the terror, but purges never stopped until his death in 1953.
Results of Purges:
- The results of the purges undertaken by Stalin are terrible and devastating. The purges were destabilizing the Russian society and the administrative systems were falling apart with key personnel missing and this was having a negative impact on industrial production.
- The Historian Robert Eonquest asserts that there were 7 million arrests, 1 million executions and 8 million people sent to prison camps. These numbers demonstrate the severe use of terror by Stalin’s regime.
Soviet Foreign Policy:
Soviet foreign policy between 1924 to 1939, dictated mainly by Stalin, has brought several advantages to Russia. Some are: the recognition of the Soviet Union as a European power again, there was no longer a united capitalist front against Russia, foreign governments became encouraged to open business relations with the USSR, the corporations between Germany and the Soviet Union have resulted in industrial and military gains for Russia.
By looking at these results of Soviet Foreign Policy, one can notice that the USSR’s international status was enhanced, and this was further shown in the entry of the Soviet Union to the League of Nations in 1934.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there were many policies followed by Stalin in his rule of the USSR from 1924 to 1953. The chief goals of these policies were to increase industrial and military power of the Soviet Union. They were also policies that maintained Stalin and his regime in power. These policies are: collectivization, five year plans, purges, and Soviet foreign policy. In the end, Russia emerged as a superpower by 1953 and it was considerably industrialized. Nonetheless, the Russian people have witnessed profound human sufferings and casualties along with extreme conditions.
