First Five Year Plan

When was the first 5YP approved and when was the plan backdated to?

During the 16th Party Congress in April 1929, plan backdated to October 1928

What was the plan for oil under the first 5YP?

To double its production from 11 to 22 million tonnes

What was the plan for coal under the first 5YP?

To more than double its production from 35 to 75 million tones between 1927-28 and 1932-33

Why might the first 5YP have seen very good given what was going on elsewhere int he world?

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 meant the Western economy was collapsing

By how much did Stalin want to boost production under the first 5YP

by 300%

What 5 areas were most focused on in terms of industrial development in the first 5YP?

Coal, iron, steel, oil and machinery

By how much did Stalin aim to increase electricity production under the the first 5YP?

600%

What did Stalin claim about the completion of his goals during the first 5YP but what was this actually down to?

That the targets had been met in four years rather than five, actually a sign of “over-enthusiastic” reporting rather than genuine progress

By how much did coal and iron production ACTUALLY increase under the first 5YP?

Both doubled

By how much did electricity production ACTUALLY increase under the first 5YP?

Tripled

What 3 aspects of industry were neglected in favour of heavy industry during the first 5YP?

Consumer goods, house building, food processing

How were smaller workshops affected by the first the first 5YP

They suffered due to intense competition from the larger, more efficient factories

What hindered production during the first 5YP?

A lack of skilled workers and poor centralised co-ordination

What was a key industrial project completed in 1927-32?

The Dneiprostroi Dam

Why was the Dneiprostroi Dam significant?

Was one of the largest power stations in the world, contributed to a 5x increase in electricity output. Powered aluminium and steel production in nearby cities (argument to show these flashy projects did have genuine industrial benefits)

What is one argument to say that the first 5YP wasn’t all bad?

Some historians argue it should be commended in how revolutionary an experiment it was, as nothing like it had really been tried before

When was Magnitigorsk founded?

1929

What years did the the first 5YP span across?

1928-32

How many inhabitants did Magnitogorsk have?

around 150,000

What was one of the key intentions behind projects like Magnitigorsk?

To showcase socialism in action

What proportion of workers in Magnitigorsk came of their own free will and why?

75%, looking for better conditions, ration cards, work.

How long did the average worker stay in Magnitogorsk?

82 days

What change to work patterns did Stalin introduce under the first 5YP?

7 day working week

How did rations change compared to the NEP?

Rations were much poorer

What was criminalised under the first 5YP?

Lateness and striking

What was the name given to prisoners forced to work during this time?

White Coal

What was life like for White Coal workers?

They had no rights, often left to freeze or starve to death

Did the first 5YP successfully abolish the free market?

No - some argue it encouraged the black market (which was in essence a kind of free market) as the shortage of consumer goods increased the illegal trading of things like vodka, cigarettes, footwear and food

What city was founded in 1932 and what did it involve?

Komsomolsk - a heavy plant and several shipyards to open up the area to development. Largely constructed by volunteer labour from the Soviet youth organisation and prison labour