Russian Life & People Digest
Question by Red Sun Rising: How is it that the USSR transformed from a 3rd world country to an industrial power house in 20 years?
between 1919 and 1939–they didn’t have a great depression the way we did.
Answers and Views:
Answer by rainmaker
Slavery
Read all the answers in the comments.
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revolutionär says
There were many reasons why the USSR was able to industrialise:
~ Russia was/is very rich in natural resources (iron ore, coal, oil etc).
~There was a large pool of labour to work in industry. This was partly because of the collectivisation of agriculture and because of increased participation of women in the workforce (In 1932 the rate was 27%, by 1937 it was 35% and by WW2 it had increased to 53%). To encourage people to work hard the government undertook programs such as incentives for increased productivity (higher wages, better housing etc) and also the use of strict discipline for 'lazy' workers (such as fines).
~The USSR's dramatic growth in industry meant that there was a large and constant market for the products of the nation's factories and mines.
~Communist Party control over the country also meant it was easier to implement and administer the program of industrialisation. It enabaled priorities to be set and resources to be concentrated where they were most needed.
~The program of industrialisation was also popular within the party and society (partly because of propaganda, partly because of the increased job opportunities it provided). This meant party and government officials were highly motivated and determined to ensure the program succeeded.
Industrialisation had many effects:
~The creation of an industrial base.
~Increased urbanisation (the urban population was 18% in 1926 and had risen to 22% in 1939).
~Industrialisation contributed to a remarkable increase in GNP. During the first two 'five year plans' the USSR's GNP tripled. In comparison none of the major capitalist countries came close to even doubling their GNP.
~According to historian David Christian industrialisation "…radically altered the ranking of the great powers. Whereas the Soviet economy had been roughly comparable in total output to the 2nd rank capitalist countries in 1928, by 1937, it was 2nd only to the United States, and had left Germany, France and Britain far behind in total production. By 1937 the USSR had twice the productive power of the major European economies combined." (1988:214-15)
Industrialisation virtually ended unemployment. In April 1929, which was only about 7 months after the start of the 1st 'five year plan', it was 1.7 million and by early 1931 it had fallen to almost nothing.
~One of the most significant effects of industrialisation was the massive increase in the production of industrial goods. (following 3 amounts are in thousand million roubles)
Value of gross industrial production 1927 = 18.3, 1937 95.5.
Value of producer's goods 1927 = 6.0, 1937 = 55.2.
Value of consumer's goods 1927 = 12.3, 1937 40.3.
Electricity 1927 = 5.1, 1937 = 36.2. (thousand million kilowatt-hours)
(following 3 amounts are in million tonnes)
Coal 1927 = 35.4, 1937 = 128.
Oil 1927 = 11.7, 1937 = 28.5.
Steel 1927 = 4.0, 1937 = 17.7.
Ben says
Industrialization is not a realistic profile of modern day Russia. It has been successful in taping natural resources to sell around the world. Oil, and natural gas are plentiful in mother Russia, and many European countries have become their customer.
The Russians truly prospered when gasoline hit $ 4 per gallon, but since the price decline, Russia economy has suffered because of lost revenue.
brown9500v15 says
Slave labor.
Printing our way to says
You mean an Industrial War Machine?
They used everything they had to support and grow their military – their soldiers worked in the potato fields once things got bad.
Derek R, the East-Co says
Stalin was a cruel, harsh man, that knew how to industrialise his country and move it into the 20th Century.
Russia was literally the last country in Europe to still be practising Serfdom in the late 1800's. You could argue it was the most backwards country in Europe.
A few decades later, it is the most advanced, powerful, influential civilisation on Earth next to the U.S.A.
There's no way you can look back at history and think Communism was bad for Russia.
Just look at it now, after Communism fell. It's been twenty years, and Russia's been in a pile of ****.
Andy says
The USSR didn't. The Russian SFSR did. Do you know what happened to the other Soviet Republics? Also, the Russian Empire was far from a third world country.