Question:

To what extent is it true to say that Stalin failed to improve Russian agriculture but succeeded in improving Russian industry 1929-41?

Instructions:

• Please treat this seriously as a study exercise - the wiki will be discontinued if it is not
• Consider the proposition carefully (the "Yes" side of the argument)
• Make sure you put the post in the right place - what evidence supports the proposition ("Yes") and what evidence opposes it ("No")
• Put up one post only
• Make your post no longer than 5 lines
• You may start a new paragraph if you need to - but look to add to paragraphs already started if possible

Introduction

Yes 

Agriculture

When Stalin introduced collectivization into the USSR in 1928, the Kulaks were appalled at the thought of giving up their land and produce. In their rage they destroyed all of their produce, 31 million cattle were slaughtered, grain production levels fell by 6 million tons, seed corn was eaten in a sign of their utter contempt for the new system. This infuriated Stalin and led to the death of fifteen million kulaks. Due to the shortage of food a famine spread in 1933. (Stephen Devine) Many peasants suffered from the famine during 1932-1933 and it claimed 10 million lives.  This was due to collectivisation, as Stalin had now complete control over most farms and could control the output of crops being produced. (Gary and Stuart)

It is a true statement to say that Stalin neglected agriculture and primarily focused on Industry in the USSR and failed to help agriculture.  The Kulaks were being blamed by Stalin at this time for the failure in the economy, and so he persuaded neighbours to sabotage their farms along with anti-kulak squads and they were then deported or killed.  The loss of expertise in the form of the kulaks was a big loss and shows Stalins his lack of interest in agriculture.   A huge problem still loomed over Stalin even in the late 1930s - which was that there was still not enough grain being produced to feed the population. (Gary and Stuart). 

Collectivisation gave agriculture the potential for improvement over time rather than at that time as the people rejected Stalin's plans, he did not communicate his objectives to the people for them to understand the purpose. (Matthew H and David S) 

Industry

When Stalin became the undisputed leader of Russia in 1929, he realised that Russia was far behind the west and that they would have to modernise ther economy very quickly if it was to survive. Also a strong economy would lead to a strong military if Russia was going to survive threats from external forces. A modernised Russia would also provide the farmers with the machinery they needed if they were going to modernise their farms - such as tractors. Robert McBride and Andrew harland) 

Russian industry had also greatly improved in the period 1929-41. Great engineering projects such as the huge new steel mill city in Magnitogorsk were built. Furthermore new dams with hydro-electric power fed industry's energy requirements.  Stalins five year plans helped the USSR to become more industrial. In 1927 there were 35 million tons of coal by 1937 there was 128 million tons. The second five year plan continued to emphasise heavy industries but there was also a commitment to communication systems such as urban transport and new industries such as the chemical industry. All these things especially the five year plans made the USSR move forward in relation to its industry. (Michaela & Stephen :)

Other areas such as coal, oil and iron production had all improved significantly. This was important to Stalin because he was always conscious of competing with the West in these key areas. (Rachel)

Stalin used collectivisation to lower the amount of labour being used in the countryside farms and moved the extra labour when this succeed into the industrial cities. With this extra labour the production level's were allowed to be increased.  

Stalin was also able to imrpove transport for example with the moscow metro. There were also improvemnets in chemical industries such as zinc.

Stalins aim was to make russia more industrial country and working country as it worked in with his marxism theoriries and by 1941 there was a large demograhic change as less people worked and lived in country and more people worked and lived in city. This was what stalin wanted as he wanted to put industry ahead of agriculture. (Graeme and sarah )

No

Agriculture

Stalin greatly wanted to return to complete state ownership in agriculture since the NEP had allowed peasents to have their own provate land which Stalin hated. He wanted them to work more cooperatively and so collectivisation was introduced. (Catherine and Aaron) Collectivisation was also not successful from a Communist point of view. Peasants were given small plots of land and also privatised land. The peasants were then to produced a fixed amount of grain and were permitted to sell of any excess for personal profit. It was Stalin's aim to achieve 'Socialism In One Country', however, the method he used conflicted with Russia's ideology and was more of a Capitalist process. (Kirsty Eagers)

There is no doubt that there were huge improvements in agricultural output and production levels by 1941.  In 1939 the sown area of Russia was one third larger than it was in 1913 and the output of grain had more than doubled production levels under the Tsar in 1914. The produce was sold by the government in overseas markets for a large profit. Stalin's policy of collectivisation meant that mechanisation could replace the medieval farming methods used by the Russian peasants, such as harvesting grain with sickles. Agriculture was given the potential to improve in the long-term. The use of machinery on farms meant that less workers were needed to do the same amount of work and therefore a surplus workforce was created which could go to the industrial cities to find jobs in factories. By 1935 Russia had the potential to produce enough food for its population.

Stalin began to modernise agriculture by introducing new machinery to the peasants in what was know as Machine Tractor Stations. Peasant farmers could borrow machines to improve the growth of agriculture (Jordan and Josh McK).  Through collectivisation, Stalin claimed that by 1940 he had 97% of all farms under state ownership which therefore helped Stalin and the USSR achieve their aim of a socialist society. ( Adam and Chloe ;) )

Stalins introduction of "collectivisation" ensured that the the agricultural sector had the potential to improve to to move forward away from the old farming techniques which had not been improved from the old Tsar days and this was done by the introduction of larger farming areas which in theory would be more productive than the personally owned farms which had been allowed under the NEP. This then allowed the resources for industrialisation to be produced and enabled the USSR to produce more goods and services. (Joshua T & Matthew M).  Collectivisation was a success as as it did achieve it's main aim which was to provide resources for industrialisation. (Jamie and Orly).  Stalin's main ambition was to provide enough resources for industrialisation and in this respect the policy succeeded. It can also be argued that by ensuring improvements in industry more farm machinery could be made which would speed up production and therefore result in an increase in food supplies for the Russian peasants and workers. (Anne-Marie)

Collectivisation was a success because before it a lot of wealthy Russian peasants - the kulaks - were using the NEP to their own advantage. They were hoarding grain as Stalin's visit to the Urals proved and making themselevs rich in the process. Stalin hated the Kulaks as the USSR was supposed to be a classless country. He introduced anti-kulak squads to destroy them and in the process created a more collectivised society. This led to more efficiency in agriculture as collectivisation also made peasants work together better, creating a more socialist environment, one of Stalin's main aims. This collectivisation also benefited the peasants as they could make use of modern machinery, for example in 1927 there were still 5 million wooden ploughs in use in Russia. Stalin knew that to feed his growing industrial cities he needed more efficient agriculture and with collectivisation he acheived this aim. (Mark and Jonny)

Industry 

As far as industrialisation was concerned everything was not improved. The ordinary worker lived in poor conditions in the industrial cities with little incentive to work. The new cities which had been built from scratch, such as Magnitogorsk, often lacked basic facilities and workers had to sleep in tents, makeshift huts and even factories. Furthermore consumer goods were in short supply and rationing was in place until 1936. Textile production declined under the first five year plan but this was probably due to the Russian livestock crisis caused by collectivisation. The second and third five year plans attempted to increase the production of consumer goods but due to the rise of Hitler international tensions increased and resources were poured into the heavy industry and armaments sectors. (Rachel and Anne-Marie)

Another concern about industrialisation was that production levels during the five year plans may not be intirely reliable as many local officers and managers tended to launder their production figures to give the impression that there was a sense of success. Therefore the precise figures are hard to obtain. The Soviet government wanted to change the figures to give a better impression of the triumphs of socialism and it was part of propaganda that they used against the West. The quality standards also suffered as there were untrained peasants that were drafted into factorie who did not have the necessary skills that were required, there were faults that were left unchecked as many feared to admit to a fault they had made and there were deportation of key experts such as managers that were labelled as "wreckers" and "sabateurs". (Bronagh)

Stalin set massive objectives set for the industrial work force. Workers lost their freedonm when the passport system was introduced , they could not easily move from one place of work to another.  Many of the work force suffered badly because Stalin used brutal shock brigades to intimidate the work force into producing more goods. Factory owners had to face the consequences if the workers failed to meet their targets. The managers were branded saboteurs and could be sent to a labour camp. Factory workers sometimes resorted to stealing the supplies and goods of other factories in order to meet their goals.  If a worker was late or took a day he would suffer the consequences mistakes could result in a worker or manager being be sent to a gulag. These plans took a heavy human cost to bring Russia up to speed with the West -  during the building of the Belomor Canal 100,000 workers paid the ultimate price with their lives. In total 6 million Soviet citizens gave their lives although some sources put these figure as high as 20 million deaths. (Mark McG)  

Due to the removal of the kulaks, the russian countryside lost so much expertise and tradesmanship. With this the lack of quality happened with in the vegetable and fruit department. This then contributed to the overall food shortages which ended up with the famine that devistated many. With the use of collectivation, many farmers then burnt and killed livestock and crops. At one point kazackstan had lost 90% of its livestock due to stubbernes. (Sir Scott Robert McBride and Andrew harland)