In the book The Red Scarf the dictator of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, said “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic,¨ (qtd. in Furnivall 1). Joseph Stalin did not care about the lives of his people, but instead focused on the industrial future for the Soviet Union. The monarchical Russia changed in 1918 into a communist country when the Bolsheviks become the ruling leaders (Mark, O'brien, Geary 813). During the 1930s Russia was falling behind the other nations, and the only way to catch up was through the brutal suffering of humans in industrial labor. He acted as a vicious leader through his paranoid thinking that the capitalist countries would overtake the USSR. The rest of Europe had already began modernizing and …show more content…
The first year was dedicated to the economy, and one of the main goals was to concentrate on the development of iron, steel, machine-tools, electric power, and transport. (Staff 3). The second year was dedicated to expanding the first goal, but also improving on the USSR transportation systems. The third and final year was interrupted by Germany’s declaration of war on the Soviet Union during World War II (819). The industrial output was put on hold, and the Soviet Union focused on weapons, and other wartime necessities. World war II ended in 1945 when Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles that stated peace throughout all countries involved with the war (822) By 1952, the Soviet Union’s industrial output had doubled the amount it maintained in 1941. Overall, Joseph Stalin was a dictator that sacrificed his own people for the good of the nation and by doing that improved the Soviet Union’s industrial …show more content…
The industrial revolution officially sparked when the USSR started using heavy machinery and forced labor on the civilians (3). To compete with other nations, Stalin fired thousands of civilians from their jobs, so they could work on Collectivization farms. Collectivization was one of tne of the easiest ways to implement the industrial revolution and also give millions of people jobs. This allowed 25 million peasants to work on farms (12). Collectivization farms are farms that were previously owned by private landowners, but the Soviet Union took their land to benefit the entire state. The Soviet Union also took civilians jobs because they did not want anyone getting involved with capitalism, and wanted to distribute the production equally. The civilians that worked on these farms received a modest share for their survival, but got paid nothing for their labor. If any of the civilians disagreed with their leader they could be sent to prison or work camps. These work camps were called gulags and were created to actually work you to death (Weebly 4). The conditions at the gulags were tremendous, the people were overworked, had little to eat, disease was unavoidable, and prisoners were often lonely. In the book The Red Scarf Stalin said ¨Work is an act of honor, courage, and heroism¨ (qtd. in Furnivall 259). Even with the terrible
The many men and women Joseph Stalin killed or had killed were because they either
boosted the USSR’s economy. Therefore Stalin had created a country which seemed corrupt at the time, but later on it improved by the hard work Stalin had forced upon them.
Stalin’s hunger for power and paranoia impacted the Soviet society severely, having devastating effects on the Communist Party, leaving it weak and shattering the framework of the party, the people of Russia, by stunting the growth of technology and progress through the purges of many educated civilians, as well as affecting The Red Army, a powerful military depleted of it’s force. The impact of the purges, ‘show trials’ and the Terror on Soviet society were rigorously negative. By purging all his challengers and opponents, Stalin created a blanket of fear over the whole society, and therefore, was able to stay in power, creating an empire that he could find more dependable.
Stalin’s leadership of the Soviet Union can be best described as a period of terror and censorship. In other words, he was very strict, considering the fact that he created the totalitarian government. In order to create this type of government, Stalin used fear and propaganda. He took part in The Great Purge, which was a campaign of terror that was supposed to eliminate anyone who threatened Stalin’s power. He also relied on secret police, who would arrest and execute any traitors. The online blog, “The Reasons For the Failure of The Russian Revolution”, brings up information on how Stalin planned to rule as dictator of Russia. It has been noted, “This ‘reshaping’ had three main aspects: the elimination of all dissent; the liquidation of all forms of democracy and of working class organisation; the slashing of the living standards of the working class and the physical annihilation of millions of peasants” (Text 5). This quote explains how Stalin wanted to industrialize Russia, which includes the deaths of several peasants of Russia. The Russians did not just die from The Great Purge, but also from Stalin’s Five-Year Plan. The Five-Year Plan was an attempt to industrialize the Soviet Union. It was also a plan for increasing the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity. He had control over economic resources, including farms and
Joseph Stalin once said, “Death is the solution to all problems. No man-no problem.” He followed his philosophy throughout his rule. Joseph Stalin was a cruel Russian man who ruled the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR) from 1941 to 1953, many have idolized Joseph Stalin, while others have hated him. Joseph stalin grew up extremely poor and by his ultimate determination to transform the USSR, he became a ruler of a very powerful union. His goal was to positively transform the USSR from a peasant society to an industrial superpower. Joseph Stalin ran a government of fascism, killed millions, ruled in terror, took over agriculture by killing millions, and focused on running a government with complete power and turn it into an industrial
People say that the Stalin’s Great Purges could otherwise be translated as Stalin’s Terror. They grew from his paranoia and his desire to be an absolute autocrat, and were forced to join the NKVD and public show trials. When someone went against him, he didn’t really take any time to do anything about it. He would “get rid of” the people that went against industrialization and the kulaks. Kulaks were farmers in the later Russian Empire.
“His plans were in 5 year intervals in which the government took control over all businesses and industries, focused mainly on factory output/transportation and to implement quota systems” (Greatneck). “The Soviet Union needed to become a top tier area in the global market, but their insufficient funds were what stopped from becoming types of governments such as communist, socialist and capitalist” (StudentPulse). Banks ceased to bail out industrial enterprises. The civilian administrative system, which was already creaking under wartime strains, started to collapse.
The Five Year Plans built vast factories in places such as Stalingrad, Leningrad, and several others across the Soviet Union. The plans also built hydro-electric dams, railways, canals, and other industrial developments. The aim of the Five Year plans was to modernize the Soviet Union’s industry and to try and fill the gap between the Western Democracies and Nazi Germany.
The Industrial Revolution began over two centuries ago and has had a major impact on every current world power. It began in a group of islands off the North West coast of Europe and has been imitated or tried by every nation looking to increase its wealth and power throughout the world. Industrialization came out of the basic ideas of capitalism because it fostered individuals who were willing to take high risks in hopes of high returns on their investments. These investments included factories and machines that would be put to use by people to better their standard of living. These entrepreneurs would return their profits back to the expansion and improvement of their factories and machines.
Stalin implemented a Five Year Plan in order to build up the industrial production of the Soviet Union. In order to keep the illusion of a successful Five Year Plan, production quotas were constantly made known well before they had been attained. He also announced another Five Year Plan before the last Five Year Plan was completed. According to Lyotard, Stalin and his Communism tried to give the proletariat a reality beyond that of the working class still bound to national traditions and differential claims, but unfortunately it would never be recognized for the legitimacy of any local power. Stalin to maintain power in his totalitarian regime, he purged his party of those who might oppose him and opportunists who might make the attempt to replace his regime. His use of terror was able to deceive people as long as it did because it seemed to be working toward the realization of the socialist republic. Terror became one of the key features of the government. Stalin, through his totalitarian power, got Russian workers many benefits like free education, free medical services and pension. The unemployment rate decreased and there was a great possibility for personal advancement. To advance in this society y...
During Stalin’s regime, the individual Russian was the center of his grand plan for better or worse. Stalin wanted all of his people to be treated the same. In the factory the top producer and the worst producer made the same pay. He wanted everyone to be treated as equals. His goal to bring the Soviet Union into the industrial age put tremendous pressure on his people. Through violence and oppression Stalin tried to maintain an absurd vision that he saw for the Soviet Union. Even as individuals were looked at as being equals, they also were viewed as equals in other ways. There was no one who could be exempt when the system wanted someone imprisoned, killed, or vanished. From the poorest of the poor, to the riches of the rich, everyone was at the mercy of the regime. Millions of individuals had fake trumped up charges brought upon them, either by the government or by others who had called them o...
The Industrial Revolution was the result of many interrelated changes that transformed society from agricultural communities into industrial ones. The most immediate changes on society because of this revolution were on the products that were produced, where, and how. Goods that were traditionally made in homes or small workshops began to be manufactured in large industrial factories. As a result, productivity and efficiency increased dramatically, thereby causing a radical shift in the long-established economies that existed at the time. The Industrial Revolution led to the growth of cities as people moved from rural areas to the city in order to find work. Marx believed that the changes brought on by the Industrial Revolution overturned not only the traditional economies, but also society in general.
Joseph Stalin's Leadership Through World War Two Stalin (1927-1953) led the Soviet State through the challenges of World War II. Although the war was a terrible drain on the already impoverished and exhausted society, it resulted, paradoxically in strengthening the Soviet dictatorship. The war distracted the Soviet people from Stalin's excesses in previous years and generated patriotism and national unity. It also greatly strengthened the Soviet military. The Soviet Union emerged from the war as second in power only to the United States.
After establishing himself as Lenin’s successor, Stalin ruthlessly increased his power and pushed forward with all his policies. What resulted was an extreme totalitarian dictatorship. Stalin imposed his stamp on Russia. He employed greater control over the communist party, and to guarantee its longevity, he unleashed a flood of fear and coercion which had never been seen before. He eliminated any threats to his position via the NKVD and the purges which resulted in the death of millions of soviet people. This also enabled him to proceed with his major economic changes in the form of collectivisation and industrialisation through three, Five Year Plans. These plans were merely reactivating the earlier ideas and policies of the Bolsheviks, policies which Stalin had condemned Trotsky to exile.
Many worked in dangerous working conditions. Living conditions were worse for the poor. Many turned to poorhouses which were set up by the government. The houses were designed to be deliberately tough places to deter people from staying on government aid. Family’s members were disconnected and treated harshly.