Khrushchev's Economics

What two areas did Khrushchev focus on first?

Agriculture; Consumer goods

Give three ways Khrushchev tried to improve agriculture.

Cut taxes; Increased pay; Invested in fertiliser and machinery; Virgin Lands

What was the aim of the Virgin Lands campaign?

Expand farmland in Kazakhstan and Siberia

Give three problems with the Virgin Lands campaign.

Soil depletion; Poor housing; Machinery shortages; Storage problems

Give two successes of Khrushchev’s agriculture.

1956 record harvest; Virgin Lands supplied major share of grain

Give two failures of Khrushchev’s agriculture.

Output fell after 1958; Slow growth; Labour-intensive

Why did Khrushchev increase maize production?

Feed livestock to boost meat and dairy

What agricultural change did Khrushchev make in 1958 and what problem did it cause?

Abolished MTS; Farms lacked machinery and went into debt

What was Khrushchev’s vision for the USSR?

Reach communism by 1980

What was Khrushchev’s industrial plan?

Seven Year Plan 1959 focusing on consumer goods and chemicals

Give two successes of Khrushchev’s industry.

Consumer goods rose 60%; GDP up 58%; Space and arms race success

Give two failures of Khrushchev’s industry.

Targets missed; Low car ownership; Poor coordination; High military spending

Give two examples of Khrushchev’s decentralisation.

11,000 businesses transferred; 105 sovnarkhozy created