Stalin Transforms the USSR

Stalin & the Economy Lenin’s NEP was a mixture of capitalism and state control. Stalin pursued a Command Economy: An economic system where government makes ALL decisions 1928 Stalin started his first 5-year Economic Plan Outlined steps for rapid economic growth Industrial growth Agricultural growth

Industrial Revolution Drastic steps to increase growth & improve National Defense. Unrealistic Quotas Quotas = specific target number each factory had to produce Reduced production of consumer goods Military goods became the focus… Shortages emerged in housing, clothing, etc….

Agricultural Revolution Seized 25 million privately owned farms Established: Collective Farms Peasants resisted fiercely: Stalin responded with TERROR 5-10 million peasants died!

Primary Source Stalin on Industrialization (1928)

Weapons of Totalitarianism Police Terror Propaganda Religious Persecution

Police Terror Used tanks & armored cars to crush riots Monitored telephone lines, read mail and planted informers…. Arrested & executed “traitors” of the state

The Soviet system of forced labor camps was first established in 1919, but it was not until the early 1930s that the camp population reached significant numbers The Gulag

Propaganda Promoted the ideas of communism Soviet newspaper and radio GLORIFY the achievements of Communism censorship was common

Religious Persecution Attempted to replace Religion with Communist teachings Russian Orthodox Church main target of persecution Spread propaganda calling religion “superstitious”