Stalin’s USSR

Stalin’s 5 Year Plan Stalin wants to create a perfect Communist state His major focus is on industrialization Building industry Improving transportation Increasing farm output In order to start this massive overhaul and do it quickly he brought all economic activity under government control Created a command economy Government makes all basic economic decisions What goods are made How many Regulates quality XGThPeOJu4

Industry Stalin set High Demands for production Bonuses if you meet goals Bonuses if you meet goals Punishments if you did not meet goals Punishments if you did not meet goals In some areas industry boomed Oil, Steel, Coal, Mining, Railroads Oil, Steel, Coal, Mining, Railroads In others areas there were still major struggles because the command economy was inefficient Low quality goods Low quality goods Few consumer goods Few consumer goods Standard of living was low and workers unhappy yet not allowed to strike

Agriculture Stalin wanted to increase grain to sell and feed workers in the city Made farmers work on large plots of state owned land or collectives Made farmers work on large plots of state owned land or collectives Land controlled by a group of peasants (kulaks: wealthy farmers) Government provided supplies but controlled access to them and set prices on farm goods Many farmers resisted by killing animals, burning crops and destroying tools – even produced only enough for themselves Many farmers resisted by killing animals, burning crops and destroying tools – even produced only enough for themselves Stalin responded severely Thought wealthy farmers behind rebellion and sent many to labor camps and seized land Thought wealthy farmers behind rebellion and sent many to labor camps and seized land Punished peasants by seizing all their grain and leaving many to starve to death. (Liquidate kulaks as a class!) Punished peasants by seizing all their grain and leaving many to starve to death. (Liquidate kulaks as a class!) Combined with poor harvests, millions died Food continued to become a major problem in the USSR

Terror Tactics Stalin used all forms of terror to crush and dissent Secret police, torture, suspended individual rights, purges Secret police, torture, suspended individual rights, purges Protesters or anyone thought to speak against the government was sent to labor camps 1930’s Stalin launched the Great Purge Designed to get rid of any opposition Designed to get rid of any opposition Focused on military leaders, old party leaders, industry leaders even citizens Focused on military leaders, old party leaders, industry leaders even citizens Again millions died and citizens were terrified of speaking out Problems for Stalin Stalin purged many of the experts in his country and leaders of the military, which caused problems in WWII Stalin purged many of the experts in his country and leaders of the military, which caused problems in WWII blunders-stalins-purges#military-blunders- stalins-purges

Propaganda Stalin not only used fear to control his people but also propaganda Censured all opposing ideas and spread only positive ideals of Communism Created posters, billboard Created posters, billboard Controlled newspapers, radio, art, literature Controlled newspapers, radio, art, literature All forms of art had to spread Communist ideals and depict the USSR as having a bright future etc… Stalin even tried to replace religion with Communist ideology Made himself a godlike figure Made himself a godlike figure Communist readings were “sacred” texts Communist readings were “sacred” texts Persecuted religious leaders and teachers Persecuted religious leaders and teachers Through the use of russification tried to make all the Soviet states more Russian

Soviet Elite Instead of a classless society, there was a small elite class that emerged Soviet elite made up of: Members of the Communist party Industrial managers Military leaders Scientist Some artists and writers The elite had access to benefits that the majority of society did not have The elite had access to benefits that the majority of society did not have They also faced harsher consequences if seen as a threat to Stalin’s power- THEY WOULD BE “PURGED”. They also faced harsher consequences if seen as a threat to Stalin’s power- THEY WOULD BE “PURGED”. The people did obtain some benefits under Stalin but the majority of society lived meager lives

Foreign Policy Stalin’s conflicting foreign policy goals Goal of Communism is to have a worldwide revolution This tends to make other governments weary wanted to develop positive relations with other nations for security Stalin was able to build support though trade and participation in the League of Nations Overall these foreign policy goals were unsuccessful Still there was a lot of mistrust between nations in the West and the USSR