How far did the Five Year Plans transform the Russian economy?

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First Five Year Plan, October 1928-December 1932

Objectives: To increase production within heavy industry and the increase size of urban population and size of the industrial workforce.

Successes: Caused Russian economy to grow at 14% a year, production levels increased, between 1928-32, iron production doubled and oil production increased by 9.7 million tonnes, industrial workforce increased from 3.12 million to 6.01 million.

Failures: Quality of goods low for exmaple avergae lifespan of a tractor was 3 days, production levels far outstripped demand 40% of goods were wasted, living and working conditions awful with 650,000 in Moscow district living without a bathhouse, 10,000 died on white sea canal project.

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Second Five Year Plan, January 1933-December 1937

Objectives: Continue increasing heavy industry, develop Russia's infrastructure, increase production of consumers goods and improve working and living conditions.

Strengths: Production levels continued to increase, steel production trebled, improvements made in transportation, some improvements for workers in terms of bread rationing ending and rise in wages, defence spending rose from 4% to 17% between 1933-1937.

Failures: Frequent shortages of vital goods like coal, leading to factoies hoarding, living and working conditions still very poor, shortages of consumer goods still common 6,000 waited in Leningrad for shoes.

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Third Five Year Plan, January 1938-June 1941

Objectives: To continue increasing heavy industry and prepare Russia for war.

Succeses: Military spending increased 33% of total gov expenditure on army by 1940, coal production increased from 128 million tonnes in 1937 to 166 million tonnes in 1940.

Failures: Disorganised and chaotic due to purges of factory managers and senior figures within Gosplan, living and working conditions still poor, increase in military spending meant consumer goods were still in short supply.

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Fourth Five Year Plan January 1946-December 1950

Objectives: Continue increasing heavy industry, consumer goods and levels of military spending.

Successes: Industrial output increased by 80%, military spending remained high 1/4 of gov spending by 1952, production of consumer goods increased doubled between 1946-50, Russia fastest growing economy between 1946-50 in the world.

Failures: Still shortages within consumer goods only 12% went in to food production and consumer goods, wages kept intentially low by gov, disorganised and chaotic, little done to improvre working and living conditions of the workers.

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