Collectivization and the Five Year Plan

Kolkhoz- Collective Farm

Peasants forced into collective farms in order to produce grain for the state. 

MTS Machines and Tractors provided by the state were used, however, there were limited numbers of these machines available. 

Opposition- 

• 1930- 13,754 outbreaks of mass unrest
• Over 2.5M peasants involved 
• 3,155 Bolshevik activists were murdered 
• Peasants burned crops, houses and salughtered animals rather than join a Kolkhoz. 

Kolkhoz- Collective Farm

Peasants forced into collective farms in order to produce grain for the state. 

MTS Machines and Tractors provided by the state were used, however, there were limited numbers of these machines available. 

Opposition- 

• 1930- 13,754 outbreaks of mass unrest
• Over 2.5M peasants involved 
• 3,155 Bolshevik activists were murdered 
• Peasants burned crops, houses and salughtered animals rather than join a Kolkhoz. 

Greatest change brought by Collectivization- 

Harvest levels became worse than 1913 in late 1930's. Worse than Tsarist periods. 

Huge increase in Peasant outrage

Tsarist farming gone. Improved equipment (MTS)

How was Collectivization politically successful for the Government?

Russia wouldnt have been able to defeat Germany in WWII if it wasnt for the huge increased amount of industrialisation. Stalin repeated the urgancy of the task. 

Stalin wanted Rapid Industrialisation- No NEP- 1928-1932

Stalin wanted strong central control over the economy. 

Stalin moved from 'NEP' to agricultural 'collectivisation'. 

In industry he launched 3 rounds of '5 year plans' 

Gosplan-

• Economic committee in Moscow
• Employed over half a million workers 
• Set targets and managed every factory, mine and transport. 
• System in the Soviet Union

The Vesenkha (Supreme Economic Council) also set targets. 

1st Five Year Plan- OCT 1928-DEC 1932

• Heavy industries- Coal, oil, iron and steel, electricity, cement, metals, timber- took 80% of the total investment
• 1500 enterpries were opened 

2nd Five Year Plan- JAN 1933-DEC 1937

• Heavy industries
• Greater emphasis on communications such as railway links to cities 
• 4500 enterprises opened 
• Big projects such as the Dnieprostrio Dam came into use

3rd Five Year Plan- JAN1938-JUNE 1941

• Ran for only 3 and a half years because of USSR's entry to WWII
• Heavy industry was emphasised 
• Armaments- Military weapons and equipment to prepare for possible invasion. 

Reasons why Stalin introduced the Five Year Plans- 

• Stalin hoped the expansion of industry would increase the size of the proletariat and therefore create more loyal party members. 
• USSR WAS the only Communist state in the world and Stalin felt enemies would "crush" it if he didnt resort to rapid industrialisation. 
• NEP was becoming increasiling unpopular with the party and was also becoming less successful from 1928 onwards.