Soviet Union Leader: Joseph Stalin Essay

Stalin’s policy priorities were not building a ‘worker’s paradise’ or a classless society, but protecting Russia from war and invasion. In 1928, Stalin launched the first of two ambitious five-year plans to modernize and industrialize the Soviet economy. These programs brought rapid progress – but also significant death and suffering. Stalin’s decision to nationalize agricultural production dispossessed millions of peasants, forcing them from their land to labor on gigantic state-run collective farms. Grain was sold abroad to finance Soviet industrial projects, leading to food shortages and disastrous famines in the mid-1930s. Soviet Russia was dragged into the 20th century, transforming from a backward agrarian empire into a modern industrial superpower – but this came at extraordinary human cost.

Stalin’s plan was successful at the cost of the Ukraine republic. In 1932, the Soviet government increased the production rate by 40 percent, which was impossible for the workers to accomplish. Starvation worsened. Anyone caught taking food from the fields was executed. Stalin set up military blockades around the villages so food could not be transported between them; then also stopped any Ukrainians from leaving in search of food. By the spring of 1933, an estimated 25,000 victims perished daily in the Ukraine. Entire villages were wiped out (Dolot).

While Stalin was in power the size of the Communist Party increased by many millions. Many people attribute this to the fear that he culminated into the Soviet Union’s citizens’ minds. His principal way to gain power were a sum of dishonesty, fraud, lies, extreme brutality, and mass murder. Some examples of the ways he used to make people fear him are the Gulag camps, the secret

When Joseph Stalin took over Russia after Lenin by 1928, the country 's policy on how it was going to industrialize changed. Stalin said," We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or we shall go under."12 Stalin believed that if the USSR did not industrialize then it would be the death of them because they will be vulnerable both economically and militarily. Stalin said, "Everything can be achieved, everything can be overcome, if there is a passionate desire for it."13 By saying this Stalin is reassuring the people with doubt that this goal can be accomplished. In order for this seemingly impossible task to be accomplished passionate soviets would be

Stalin was from the Soviet Union and one of his goals was to become the general secretary. Anyone granted this position held vast power by allowing certain people to come into the communist party. In 1927, Stalin gained power and by 1928, he established the First Five Year Plan; an increase in industrial output by 250% in 5 years by having collective farms in place of individual farms. Havoc continued to what is known as Stalin’s famine. During this time, many Ukrainians were isolated from food, starving an estimated 10 million to death. This resulted in many businesses being seized, people living in extremely minute spaces with only a bed, and anyone who complained of such conditions was killed. Stalin continued his frantic reign by setting up the Gulag, which sent many prisoners, even those that hardly complained, to forced-labor camps, many of which were in Siberia. Being sent here meant a life sentence to being a slave worker for the rest of the short life individuals had left in them, or being

Though Stalin was to set up many other 5-year plans in the future but this was his first which officially ended in 1923 but was recorded to have ended in 1933, when Holodomor ended. This was an economic plan devised by Stalin in order to increase not only agriculture but industrial output. Under his rule the USSR became more industrial and efficient by designated quotas from its countries. By storming the Ukraine and having a mass collection of Ukrainian goods, grains, and all other necessities needed to sustain life Stalin was able to have not only a higher quota for the country but effectively starve the whole county and crush the slowly growing rebellion against him.

The economical had a positive outcome to the Russian country but not to the russian people. Though both the 1st and 2nd 5 year plan the goals were not met. But there was a increase in electricity production and steel production. According to document Economic History Of the ussr the five year plan was a success. Numbers doubled , the coal numbers where 35.4 in 1927 and in 1937 the numbers where 128.0. The second 5 year plan focused on industry and did also show positive production of electric, railroads and the development of Siberia. According to economic history of the ussr chat the woolen cloth was decreasing production of consumer good. The woolen was 97.0 in 1927 and in 1932 the numbers when down to 93.3 Then in 1937 the numbers when up again to 108.3. The education levels did increase during this time. By the end of the 2 five year plans Russia was considered a world power. Being considered a world power was not enough for Stalin, he wanted more. He began his collective farm plan. This was where he wanted all farms and farming owners to combine and form all the land as one large farm. The government provided the farmer with new technology and machines for farming. The farmers lost ownership of their farms. The food produced was given to the government, farmers had no financial profit. With the 1st 10 years over 90% of the farming were collective farms. All of Stalin plans had positive impact on the Russian

Stalin’s popularity in the Soviet Union continued to grow with thanks the propaganda that was distributed. This was aided by his role in industrializing the Soviet Union, empowerment of women, and World War II. In the early 1920’s (Stalin’s first and second five year plans) industrial output was 13% of the 1914 level. In 1933 workers’ earnings dropped to one tenth of the 1926 level. Despite these setbacks, by 1932 electricity usage and coal production had more than doubled, steel production had increased six fold, and tractor production had increased by twenty five times that of 1928.

He implemented a series of 5 year plans to help transform the nation (History.com staff). His plan hinged on the government taking the lands of the wealthy, peasant farmers, called the kulaks. When the kulaks protested and would not give in to Stalin’s demands, Stalin had thousands of kulaks executed and exiled (Joseph Stalin Britannica Library). The collectivization of farms led to widespread famine during 1932. It is alleged that over 10 million people died from starvation because of this (Joseph Stalin). Throughout his rule Stalin continued to intervene in the industrialization of the Soviet Union. To try to keep up with his lofty industrialization plans, Stalin proclaimed that time was limited and the Soviets needed to be able to protect themselves from outsiders. This launched a feverish push to industrialize as quickly as possible. Although industrialization was achieved, the strain it put on the countries resources was immense (Joseph Stalin Britannica Library). Aside from the mass starvations going on in the Soviet Union, Stalin also enacted a reign of terror on his own people. Stalin and his secret police, the KGB, concocted a plan to dispose of all people who were viewed as “Anti Soviet”(Joseph Stalin). The beginning of the Great Purge took place on July 3rd, 1937. Stalin ordered millions to be placed in work camps, and such

There were many oppressive elements to the Soviet Union during their almost 70-year reign over Russia and its surrounding countries. The communist political system and the command economy were both highly centralized. The economy was based on the idea that the all means of production, distribution, and exchange were controlled by the government, plans that were set in place by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s five-year plans that set goals for all forms of production (Dewdney). Unlike in a market economy, consumers

Joseph Stalin launched multiple five-year plans to try to help transform the peasant society of the Soviet Union into an industrial superpower.

The Stalinist era was a period in Russian history when “normal life became a luxury”. Stalin seized control of the Soviet Union during a time of great opposition and chaos. The manifestation of Communism forced the people to suffer through continuous upheavals.The state became the monopolistic producer and distributor of goods and as a result had full authority over the manufacturing and marketing of necessities such as basic foods, apartments, and even documents. Everyday Stalinism is an account of the “little men” living in the Soviet Union during the 1930’s. Written by Sheila Fitzpatrick, it describes the daily lives and struggles of the citizens throughout the revolution. All of society was reconstructed as an attempt to established a

The industrialisation that began in Russia under the rule of Joseph Stalin had an effect on both the people and the country that would last for decades. What it did was allow people in Russia to live safely without fear of invasion but at the same time many lives were lost in the process of reaching the objective. Under the rule of Joseph Stalin the Soviet Union was turned into an industrial & military superpower however he ruled by terror, and millions of his own citizens died during his brutal reign. Stalin’s personality gives us the impression he didn’t treat the Russian people well as he would have his enemies executed or sent to prison camps this implies that any Russian citizens that challenged him would’ve been silenced. In this response we will explore the quality of living conditions and politics. Stalin in the process of industrialising Russia is estimated to be

For many years now, the relationship between the United States and the Russian governments can at best only be classified as complicated. The Russian government will forever be marred by the Communist ideals of the U.S.S.R., and for that reason has been consistently held at an arm’s length by many of the nations around the world. Americans have been both fascinated and repulsed by the Communist ideals of the U.S.S.R., and especially by its first General Secretary of the Communist Party, Josef Stalin. Stalin has been described as secretive, paranoid, highly intelligent, and an extremely dangerous military strategist. In short, Stalin embodies the very communist traits that so many government officials feared throughout the 20th century.

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.