Stalins 5 Year Plans

(1933-1937) Stalin was obsessed with the need for industrialization. This demanded massive surpluses of food for the increasing work force that was constructed to industrialize. In the first year that Stalin’s beginning plan was in action the worker count rose from 11 million to 23 million.   Although, because of such hard conditions and the little pay that was given to the workers, they had started to form their own rebellious groups called Kulaks. These groups of workers were stock piling their grains and holding out for a better payment than they were getting. Stalin’s solution to the rebellion was to force them to give up their smaller land for a joined community of large land. Although many Kulaks still held on to their grain and animals to the point were they would burn them to keep the government from taking them. Stalin soon gave up reason and forcefully took the grains and enslaved the Kulaks. Many of them died from food shortage, harsh weather, or even non treated disease.

(1933-1937) The second five year plan focused on consumer goods but was soon changed to war machines because of the their war with Russia. To increase productivity, a propaganda campaign glorified high achievers. If the inventors failed to reach demand, they would be severely punished.   In 1935 a man named Alexei Stakhanov dug 14 times the amount of cole in one shift and became instantly famous. He was one of the first people to become a stakhanovite or someone who exceeds great wealth from their inventions. Many factory workers were forced to improve on their inventory as the new parts of the machines were needed. Some factories were even shut down or bought out so the government could save expense costs.

(1938-1941) The third five year plan focused on World War II. Special effort was made to ensure that Russia’s transportation systems ran efficiently. Railroads were extended and the output of army equipment was increased. The plan allowed the USSR to hold their ground during...