The Second Five Year Plan

What was the objectives for the second five-year-plan?

The first plan had been concentrated on developing heavy industry, collectivising agriculture, at the drastic fall in consumer goods. The second plan continued some of the same objectives as the first

What was the aim of this plan?

To consolidate gains made under the initial plan, while simultaneously taking the opportunity to build off of it

What were the key aims of this plan?

• Continue development of heavy industry

• stimulating the growth of new industries, focusing on chemicals, electrical and consumer goods

• Develop communication to provide links between cities and areas of industry by improving Russias transport system

• Quality of goods to be made improved

• The incentives scheme and a new code of practice which set high expectations of labour performance and addressed low productivity

What was the general outline of this plan?

Initially Stalin promised workers that their standard of living would improve but famine in countryside meant that rationing continued until 1934. 1934- 36- there was a more concentrated effort to improve living standards, however this changed in response to German rearmament

What was one problem of the plan?

The economy was meant to be planned but instead there was little to no co-ordination between branches of industry

What was another problem regarding the people?

People were too scared to speak up and criticise the problems of the plan because there was a fear of execution or exile which may happen as a result

What was another problem regarding the major shoe shortage?

Happened in the 1930s because in 1931 the gov banned the private production of shoes due to a leather shortage, so people had to buy state produced shoes which were very bad quality, resulting in extremely long queues at shoe shops and near riots

What was another problem regarding the houses and buildings?

Continued problems with them as there was a lack of bathouses (no bathouses in the district of Moscow with a population of 650,000),and manynew houses were built without running water and sewage systems

What did Stalin state?

Socialism didn’t mean people would get equal wages and instead there needs to be rewards for harder work e.g. In the Stakhanovite movement the best workers would receive the best flats and food. This created socialinequalities as wages weren’t equal

What were communist party members given?

Better food, housing, clothing compared to the Russian publicand they enjoyed unfair privileges, e.g. Elite communist Party members often got holiday homes, chauffeur and reserved cinema seats. They also had access to secret shops which had essentials that were unavailable to the public

What was an achievement of the second plan?

It was much more achievable and realistic than the first. The gov claimed that the plan had been ‘overfilled’ by 3%. The production of raw materials continued to expand, and steel output trebled, largely due to production in new plants such as Magnitogorsk

What was another success in terms of transport?

Transport was a new priority, also had successes

When were the first likes of Moscow Metro opened?

1935

When was the Moscow-Volga Canal completed?

Between 1932 and 1937

What did the completion of the Moscow-Volga allow for?

The transportation of large quantities of material throughout western Russia

What was another success?

In early 1934, bread rationing ended

What was the ending of bread rationing followed by?

The end of rationing of meat and butter

What happened to the wages for the industrial workers?

Increased

What did the reforms of agriculture provide?

More small increases in living standards

What was a policy adopted by the Politburo?

1934- Peasants allowed to farm small plots of land privately

What happened that was good, regarding the famines?

Russia recovered quickly from them

What was a failure?

In response to fears about the imminent war with Germany, defence spending rose from 4% in 1933 to 17% in 1937, but this came at the expense of living standards

What was a reason for changing priorities in the second plan?

The first plan had many short comings and the senior figures in the soviet government were aware of them

What was a problem in the first plan?

• The old plan left an awful standard of living for industrial workers

• unable to transport vast quantities of raw materials they produced

What was a solution proposed in the second plan?

Moderate opposition in the soviet government led by Kirov, argued for a better standard of living in the Politburo

What was another solution proposed in the second plan?

Improving transport infrastructure was made a priority for soviet economic planners

What did The Moderates also argue for?

A more conciliatory approach towards Russia’s peasants

What else did the Moderates argue for?

Peasant support was crucial with the threat of war- the gov should win support over peasants and moderate the anti-kulak policy

What happened at the end of 1934?

Kirov was murdered, and the Moderates lost influence

What was the second plan in response to?

The threat of war

After Moderates were removed, what did Stalin do?

Revised the plan and diverted some funding from consumer goods to Russia’s military resources

What is the overall conclusion of this plan?

• The second plan had some clear successes, especially in industry and infrastructure. Steel production grew exponentially in comparison to previous years. Wages for workers went up, and some consumer goods became more available

• While the plan boosted production and prepared the country better for the future and war, it didn’t do much to improve everyday lite for most citizens in the long run