The five year plans

What year did the five year plan begin?

1928

What were the motivations?

NEP was not ideologically aligned for the Bolsheviks.

Russia needed to be protected from other countries ‘100 years in 10 years’

Self sufficiency

The change that people wanted

Key bits and bobs of the five year plan

Heavy industry, not consumer goods. Marginalised TUs, high targets

What were some of the targets for the NEP

The higher optimum plan was chosen

Coal- 35 to 75 million tons

Iron ore- 6 to 19 million tonnes

Consequences of these targets

Morale reduced as this seemed unachievable

Product quality reduced to hit targets- e.g tyres would only last a few weeks

Social benefits of the five year plan

Young people enthralled- even forming shock brigades

The Moscow Metro meant workers lived further from their work-this led to less cramped and thus higher quality living conditions

Social drawbacks of the five year plan

Show trials for borgeoise factory workers failing to meet targets.

Peoples small workshops shut down- could not collect raw materials

House building declined

Economic successes of the five year plan

Electricty trebled

Coal and iron production doubled

Steel increaed 33|%

New dams, Magnitgorsk complex

Economic drawbacks of the five year plan

Great depression brought down grain prices

Hijacking of ggods common- fear of not meeting targets

Chemical and light industry largely neglected

Second five year plan(Jan’33-Dec’37) successes

Electricity doubled

Pig iron doubled

Food rationing ended

Second five year plan failures

Consumer goods lacking

Oil not at high advance- becoming a limiting factor 21.5 to 27.4 m

3rd five year plan context

Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact- non aggression between Germany and Russia

Stalin sure Hitler would betray, starts training military

Successes of third five year plan

Defence grew rapidly

Heavy industry continues to grow

Failures of third five year plan

Consumer goods suffer- Vodka roughly halves

Other sectors shrink

Some like fertilisers remain stagnant

Workers experience with five year plan- Money/PAY and career opporutinites

Positives

Skilled workers higher wages, rewards for exceeding targets, easier to get higher paid jobs

Develop into managers and party officials, technical education

Negatives

Lack of consumer goods, women paid less

Less then 7% of workforce skilled, avg worker moves job 3X a year

Impact on workers conditions

Negatives

Rations and lodgings could be denied, high rates of absentees, long queues for rations

Positives

Regional competitions- most efficient miners rewarded,, Srathnur Record

Impact on society

Negatives

Violence and crime rife, towns cramped and dirty, quicksand society.

Positives

Workers spirit- prideful of their society