Assess the impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian people
By 1929, Stalin had become sole leader of Russia.
He said, "We are between 50 and 100 years behind the west. We must make good this difference in 10 years or go under."
He wanted things to change in Russia quickly and so he brought up the five year plans, these were to modernise the Russian economy. He also brought up the idea of collectivisation. This was to modernise Russian agriculture.
These two things would transform Russia. Stalin had "borrowed" Trotsky's ideas, which was very ironic.
Stalin introduced the five year plans because he wanted to industrialise the Soviet Union, he felt it was matter of life or death. If his plans failed he believed the Soviet Union's enemies would crush it. He wanted rapid industrialisation; this was what Trotsky had wanted! Stalin gave the responsibility of devising the plans to GOSPLAN, the state planning bureau.
Chinese Stamp, 1950. Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong ...
Beria's letter to Politburo
English: From left to right: Joseph Stalin, Frankl...The idea was that the state would decide targets for industrial production, and would use central planning and direction of the nation's resources to achieve the priorities set out in each plan
The first five year plan was launched in 1928. It was to b focused on building up heavy industry's like coal and steel. Propaganda was used to try to make the workers finish in just four years. The targets were tough but enormous increases in production were achieved. The first five year plan was a success.
The second five year plan (1933-7) concentrated on improving things like transport and production of machinery.
The third five year plan (1938-41) ran for only three and a half years before it was interrupted by war.
More and more resources were transferred into defence related industry's. When war broke out in 1941, Germany was attacking...