Russia/Soviet Union/USSR
Russia dropped out of WW I due to the Bolshevik Revolution
Economically, it was in terrible shape
Vladimir Ulyanov(Lenin)
Lenin emerged as the leader of the communists.
Lenin was a big Marxist supporter
-Marx never outlined how exactly to reach a classless society so Lenin and the government took control of the economy and farms with a promise to eventually give it back to the peasants.
Lenin organized the country into a federation of republics
- The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Lenin died in 1924
Power struggled ensued between Leon Trotsky and Josef Stalin.
Stalin would win.
Josef Stalin
Wanted to focus on building up the Soviet Union’s economy
Eliminated political opponents in great purges(800,000)
Wanted nationalization and collectivization of the economy
-gov’t took control of industry(nationalization)
-abolished private ownership(upset Kulaks)
-forced peasants to merge their land into large collective
farms(collectivization)
The Kulaks resisted and Stalin used the secret police to kill them
Stalin admitted that at least 10 million people died due to collectivization and famine
Five Year Plans
-Stalin’s idea of economic growth for industry and
agriculture
-Goals were to be met in a five year time frame
-Wasn’t until the third 5 Year Plan did the economy start
to improve
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