What was the financial source of industrialization? Stalin's industrialization of the USSR

After civil war Russia’s economy, to use modern “Obama” language, “was torn to shreds.” Truly torn and ruined. And the NEP only somewhat stabilized the problem of providing for the country’s population food products and consumer goods, but it caused a sharp increase in class contradictions in the countryside due to the growth in the number of kulaks and aggravated the class struggle in the countryside to open kulak uprisings.

Therefore, the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) set a course for the development of the country’s industrial production in order to gain the opportunity to independently solve the national economic problems facing Russia, which had been destroyed by many years of war. Moreover, an accelerated solution. That is, the party set a course for the industrialization of the country.

Stalin said:

“We are 50-100 years behind advanced countries. We must cover this distance in ten years. Either we do this or we will be crushed. This is what our obligations to the workers and peasants of the USSR dictate to us.”

Industrialization is the socio-economic policy of the Bolshevik Party in the USSR, from 1927 to the end of the 30s, the main goals of which were the following:

1. Elimination of the technical and economic backwardness of the country;

2. Achieving economic independence;

3. Creation of a powerful defense industry;
4. Priority development of a complex of basic industries: defense, fuel, energy, metallurgical, machine-building.

What paths of industrialization existed by that time and which ones were chosen by the Bolsheviks?

From Stalin's statements regarding industrialization:

1.“knows various ways industrialization.

England industrialized thanks to the fact that it plundered the colony for tens and hundreds of years, collected “additional” capital there, invested it in its industry and accelerated the pace of its industrialization. This is one way of industrialization.

Germany accelerated its industrialization as a result of the victorious war with France in the 70s of the last century, when it took five billion francs in indemnity from the French and poured it into its industry. This is the second way of industrialization.

Both of these methods are closed to us, because we are a country of Soviets, because colonial robberies and military seizures for the purpose of robbery are incompatible with nature Soviet power.

Russia, old Russia, handed over enslaving concessions and received enslaving loans, thus trying to gradually get out on the path of industrialization. This is the third way. But this is the path of bondage or semi-bondage, the path of turning Russia into a semi-colony. This path is also closed to us, because we did not wage a three-year civil war, repelling any and all interventionists, so that later, after defeating the interventionists, we would voluntarily go into bondage with the imperialists.

There remains a fourth path of industrialization, the path of one’s own savings for the cause of industry, the path of socialist accumulation, which Comrade repeatedly pointed out. Lenin, as the only way to industrialize our country.

(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 123.)

2. “What does it mean to industrialize our country? This means turning an agricultural country into an industrial country. This means placing and developing our industry on a new technical basis.

Nowhere else in the world has it happened that a huge backward agrarian country has turned into an industrial country without robbing colonies, without robbing foreign countries, or without large loans and long-term credits from outside. Remember the history of industrial development in England, Germany, America, and you will understand that this is exactly the case. Even America, the most powerful of all capitalist countries, was forced to spend 30-40 years after the civil war in order to develop its industry through loans and long-term credits from outside and the plunder of neighboring states and islands.

Can we take this “tested” path? No, we cannot, because the nature of Soviet power does not tolerate colonial plunder, and large loans and there is no reason to count on long-term loans.

Old Russia, Tsarist Russia, went towards industrialization in a different way - by concluding enslaving loans and issuing enslaving concessions to the main sectors of our industry. You know that almost the entire Donbass, more than half of the St. Petersburg industry, Baku oil and a whole range of railways, not to mention the electrical industry, were in the hands of foreign capitalists. This was the path of industrialization at the expense of the peoples of the USSR and against the interests of the working class. It is clear that we cannot take this path: it was not for this that we fought the yoke of capitalism, it was not for this that we overthrew capitalism in order to then voluntarily go under the yoke of capitalism.

There is only one path left, the path of one’s own savings, the path of saving, the path of prudent management in order to accumulate the necessary funds for the industrialization of our country. There are no words, this task is difficult. But, despite the difficulties, we are already resolving it. Yes, comrades, four years after the civil war we are already solving this problem.

(“Speech at a meeting of workers of the Stalin railway workshops of the October road” vol. 9 p. 172.)

3. “There are a number of accumulation channels, of which at least the main ones should be noted.

Firstly. It is necessary that the surplus accumulation in the country is not dissipated, but collected in our credit institutions, cooperative and state, as well as through internal loans, in order to use them for the needs, first of all, of industry. It is clear that investors should receive a certain percentage for this. It cannot be said that in this area things are at all satisfactory for us. But the task of improving our credit network, the task of raising the authority of credit institutions in the eyes of the population, the task of organizing the business of internal loans undoubtedly faces us as the next task, and we must solve it at all costs.

Secondly. It is necessary to carefully close all those paths and cracks through which part of the country's surplus accumulation flows into the pockets of private capital to the detriment of socialist accumulation. To do this, it is necessary to pursue a pricing policy that would not create a gap between wholesale prices and retail prices. It is necessary to take all measures to reduce retail prices for industrial and agricultural products in order to stop or at least minimize the leakage of surplus savings into the pockets of private traders. This is one of the most important issues of our economic policy. From here comes one of the serious dangers both for the cause of our accumulation and for the chervonets.

Thirdly. It is necessary that within the industry itself, in each of its branches, certain reserves should be set aside for the purpose of depreciation of enterprises, for the purpose of their expansion, for the purpose of their further development. This matter is necessary, absolutely necessary, it must be moved forward at all costs.

Fourthly. It is necessary that certain reserves accumulate in the hands of the state, necessary to insure the country against all kinds of accidents (shortfalls), to feed industry, to support agriculture, to develop culture, etc. It is now impossible to live and work without reserves. Even a peasant with his small farm cannot now manage without certain supplies. Moreover, the state of a great country cannot do without reserves.

(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 126.)

Funds for industrialization:
Where did the Bolsheviks get funds for industrialization?

1. Funds were withdrawn from agriculture and light industry;

2. Funds came from the sale of raw materials (Oil, gold, timber, grain, etc.);

3. Some treasures of museums and churches were sold;

4. The private sector was taxed up to the complete confiscation of property.
5. By reducing the standard of living of the population, due to rising prices, the introduction of a card distribution system, individual government loans, etc.

6. Through the enthusiasm of workers building for themselves new world without exploitation of man by man.

7. Through powerful propaganda and agitation of new forms and new, collectivist methods of labor organization.

8. By organizing advanced Stakhanov movement both in industrial production and in agriculture.

9. By way of introduction state awards for labor achievements.

10. By developing a system of free social benefits and state guarantees for working people: free education and free medicine for all groups of the population, free nurseries, kindergartens, pioneer camps, sanatoriums, and so on and so forth.
And again Stalin’s words regarding the foundations of industrialization in the USSR:

“So, is it possible to industrialize our country on the basis of socialist accumulation?

Do we have sources of such accumulation sufficient to ensure industrialization?

Yes, it's possible. Yes, we have such sources.

I could refer to such a fact as the expropriation of landowners and capitalists in our country as a result of October Revolution, the destruction of private ownership of land, factories, factories, etc. and their transfer to public ownership. It hardly needs proof that this fact represents a fairly substantial source of accumulation.

I could refer, further, to such a fact as the cancellation of the royal debts, which took our national economy billions of rubles of debt. We should not forget that in leaving these debts we had to pay annually several hundred million in interest alone, to the detriment of industry, to the detriment of our entire national economy. Needless to say, this circumstance brought great relief to our accumulation.

I could point to our nationalized industry, which has recovered, which is developing and which provides some profits necessary for the further development of industry. This is also a source of accumulation.

I could point to our nationalized foreign trade, which provides some profit and therefore represents a certain source of accumulation.

One could refer to our more or less organized state internal trade, which also produces a certain profit and thus represents a certain source of accumulation.

One could point to such a lever of accumulation as our nationalized banking system, which gives a certain profit and feeds our industry to the best of our ability.

Finally we have something like state power, which manages the state budget and which collects a small amount of money for the further development of the national economy in general, and our industry in particular.

These are basically the main sources of our internal accumulation.

They are interesting in the sense that they give us the opportunity to create those necessary reserves, without which the industrialization of our country is impossible.”

(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 124.)

Because, according to Stalin, fast pace the development of industry in general and the production of means of production in particular, represents the main beginning and key industrial development country, the main principle and key to the transformation of our entire national economy on the basis of advanced socialist development.

At the same time, we cannot and should not curtail heavy industry for the sake of comprehensive lung development industry. And light industry cannot be developed sufficiently without the accelerated development of heavy industry.

(“XV Congress of the CPSU(b)” vol. 10 p. 310.)

The result of industrialization was:

1. Creation of a powerful industry in the country;
From 1927 to 1937, over 7 thousand large industrial enterprises were built in the USSR;
2. The USSR took 2nd place in the world in terms of industrial production after the USA.

3. The USSR created its own powerful defense industry, new to Russia.

4. In the USSR, on the basis of powerful industrial production, industrial science also began to develop powerfully, determining the technical level of technologies developed and used in industrial production.

5. The USSR became the birthplace of technical astronautics, creating in the country a new, global industry of production, space, significantly ahead of the United States in this direction.

The results of the industrialization of the USSR turned out to be stunning not only for the inhabitants of the USSR, but also for the whole world. After all, former tsarist Russia was unusually short term became powerful, industrially and scientifically developed country, a world power.

As you can see, Stalin turned out to be right in making from a completely collapsed Russia, from Russia plows and bast shoes, an advanced industrial power with the shortest working day in the world, the best in the world free education, advanced science, free medicine, national culture and the most powerful social guarantee labor rights of the country

However, in today's Russia everything is done differently from how Stalin did it in the USSR, and we have a Russia with a barely smoldering industrial production, completely collapsed agriculture, a dead science, a poor population barely making ends meet, but with countless billionaires of its own.

So who was right in choosing the paths for Russia's development, the Bolsheviks or the current democrats? In my opinion, Bolsheviks! After all, not a single word of Stalin about the industrialization of Russia is still outdated.

Test tasks.

1. The thesis that Stalin put forward at the Plenum of the Central Committee in July 1928:

1) it is possible to build socialism in one single

2) the mass struggle in the country will intensify as it moves towards socialism;

3) current generation Soviet people will live n| communism.

1) the death penalty was abolished;

Accused of political crimes (“The son is responsible for his father”);

3) bring to criminal court with the application of all penalties, including the death penalty for minors, starting from the age of 12.

3. The reasons for the existence of a totalitarian regime in the USSR do not include:

1) the population’s fear of mass repressions by the Gulag;

2) people's faith in communist ideals;

3) support from Western European countries

4) monopoly of state property.

4. The main sources of industrialization in the USSR:

1) exploitation of the national outskirts of the country;

2) transfer of funds from the village;

3) foreign loans and investments;

4) the enthusiasm of the Soviet people.

5. The grain procurement crisis in 1937 was caused by:

1) recreating the committees of the poor;

2) the beginning of collectivization;
3) new economic policy;

4) the party’s course towards industrialization.

6. Industrialization in the USSR led to:

1) to integrate the economy into the world market;

2) a fall in industrial production;

3) creation of the defense industry;

4) development of light industry.

7. The transition to collectivization policy was proclaimed

1) N.I. Bukharin in the article “Notes of an Economist”;

2) V.I. Lenin in the article “On Cooperation”;

3) V.I. Stalin in the article “The Year of the Great Turnaround.”

8. What do workdays mean?

1) days of free work in production;

2) payment system on collective farms;

3) days allotted to collective farmers to work on their plots.

9. In the history of the USSR in the 1920-1930s. The abbreviated name GULAG was used, which meant:

1) a system of children's health camps;

2) a system of camps for criminal and political prisoners;

3) a system of annual camps for training recruits for the Red Army;

4) the system of correctional institutions for juvenile offenders.

10. The Soviet political system of the 1930s was characterized by:

1) expansion of political and civil freedoms;

2) improving the system of power sharing;

3) broad discussions within the ruling party;

4) state power was exercised by the Communist Party

1. Choose the correct answer.

a) The first five-year plan for the development of the national economy was designed for:
1) 1925-1929 2) 1928-1932 3) 1933-1937 4) 1936-1940
b) In 1934 the following happened:
1) return from exile of members of the Menshevik Party
2) appointment of V.P. Molotov to the post of People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs
3) murder of S. M. Kirov
4) expulsion of L. D. Trotsky
c) Conducted in the 1930s. the policy of dispossession meant:
1) transfer of kulak farms to remote farms with an increase in allotment
2) forced deprivation of kulaks and peasants of land and farms
3) resettlement of kulaks at the expense of the state to the fertile lands of Siberia
4) buying out land and farms from the kulaks and getting them to work in the city
d) The command-administrative system created in the USSR is characterized by:
1) freedom of enterprise
2) variety of forms of ownership
3) subordination of the economy to the state
4) independence of industrial enterprises

2. Choose the correct ones from the proposed statements. Write down their numbers.
1. The goal of industrialization in the USSR was to accelerate the development of light industry
2. The result of collectivization in the USSR was a reduction in the use of machines in agriculture.
3. In the USSR in the 1930s. there was freedom to travel abroad.
4. Mentioned in political life USSR in the 1930s. the word "opposition" meant legal social movement, which criticized the CPSU(b).
5. The course towards complete collectivization of agriculture meant the relocation of workers to the villages.
6. In 1932, a passport system was introduced in the USSR.
7. Theoretical justification for repression in the 1930s. became the thesis put forward by J.V. Stalin about the inevitability of an intensification of the class struggle in the country as the process of building socialism develops.
8. By 1937, the USSR was fully self-sufficient in industrial products.
9. At the Munich Conference in 1938, the USSR concluded an agreement with Germany on the division of Czechoslovakia.
10. Main foci military danger in the world in the 30s. were Germany and Great Britain.

3. By what principle are the rows formed?
a) 1928-1932, 1933-1937, 1938-1942
b) V. P. Chkalov, G. F. Baidukov, A. V. Belyakov

4. Who (what) is the odd one out in the row?
a) Repressed leaders of the Red Army:
1) M. M. Tukhachevsky
2) V. K. Blucher
3) N. E. Yakir
4) K. E. Voroshilov
b) Cities built during the first five-year plans:
1) Novokuznetsk
2) Komsomolsk-on-Amur
3) Lugansk
4) Magnitogorsk

5. Place the events in chronological order:
a) publication of an article by I. V. Stalin “Dizziness from success”
b) VII Congress of the Comintern
c) entry of the USSR into the League of Nations
d) adoption of the second Constitution of the USSR
e) the beginning of complete collectivization

6. Note the results and consequences of the industrialization policy:
a) a significant increase in the standard of living of the population
b) attracting large foreign investments in industry
c) creation of a new one metallurgical base in the east of the country
d) achieving economic independence
e) transformation of the country into an industrial-agrarian power
f) the USSR came out on top in the world in terms of industrial development

7. Set the correct match:
1) K. S. Petrov-Vodkin a) film “Chapaev”
2) S. M. Eisenstein b) novel “Virgin Soil Upturned”
3) M. A. Sholokhov c) painting “Death of a Commissar”
4) K. F. Yuon d) film “Alexander Nevsky”
e) painting “New Planet”

1. In what year did the Patriotic War begin? a) 1853 b) 1812 c) 1856 2. Supreme power in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century belonged to: a) the emperor, b) C

enata, c) Synod. 3. The reason for the failure of M. M. Speransky’s reforms: a) the conservatism of most of the nobility; b) opposition to the army; c) the king’s fear for his fate. 4. Indicate the highest administrative body in Russia in the first half of the 19th century a) Committee of Ministers; b) Senate; c) Synod. 5. “Battle of the Nations” in 1813 , in which Napoleon’s troops were completely defeated, took place: a) near Berlin; b) near Leipzig; c) at Waterloo. 6. Indicate the states that were included in the “Holy Alliance”, created in 1815: a) Russia, France, Spain; b) Russia, Austria, Prussia; c) Russia, Poland, Türkiye. 7. From the names below, indicate the one that is not related to the events of the War of 1812: a) r. Berezina; b) Tilsit; c) Smolensk; d) Maloyaroslavets. 8. Indicate which of the Decembrist societies arose earlier than the others: a) “Union of Salvation”, b) “Union of Welfare”, c) “Southern Society”, d) “Northern Society”. 9. The “Southern Society” of the Decembrists was headed by: a) K. F. Ryleev; b) N. M. Muravyov; c) P.I. Pestel. 10. New to economic development Russia in the first half of the 19th century. there was no: a) the beginning of the industrial revolution; b) further development of the domestic market; c) the flourishing of peasant farms. 11. In Russia in the first half of the 19th century. The main owner of the land was: a) the church; b) nobles; c) officials. 12. By 1843 in Russia, monetary circulation was strengthened with the help of: a) the introduction of hard silver currency; b) receiving a large foreign loan; c) introduction paper money. 13. Russia in the middle of the 9th century. was: a) an absolute monarchy; b) constitutional monarchy; c) a republic. 14. Whose name is associated with the preparation of the “Code of Laws” Russian Empire": a) M.M. Speransky; b) Count P.D. Kisilev; c) Count A.H. Benkendorf. 15. Indicate one of the reasons for Russia’s lag in the Crimean War: a) lag behind European countries in industrial development; b) poor military command; c) the death of the Russian Black Sea squadron. 16. Commander of the Russian squadron in the Battle of Sinop: a) F. F. Ushakov; b) P. S. Nakhimov; c)B. I. Istomin. 17. A state where the clergy has a decisive influence on state affairs, and the head of state combines spiritual and secular power in his hands is called: a) theocratic; b) totalitarian; c) feudal. 18. Who is the odd one out in the row: a) V. G. Belinsky; b) A. I. Herzen; c) N. P. Ogarev. d) E. F. Kankrin. 19. Who became the imam in the Caucasus in 1834? a) Shamil; b) Aslan; c) Mustafa. 20. Peace of Paris, completed Crimean War, was signed: a) in 1856; b) 1855; c) 1860 21. When it was canceled serfdom? a) in 1861 b) in 1800 c) in 1860 22. Which peasants were considered “temporarily obligated”? a) those who did not enter into redemption transactions with their landowners after the announcement of the reform; b) peasants of the Siberian provinces; c) state peasants. 23. Who played a decisive role in the preparation and conduct military reform 1874? a) D. A. Milyutin; b) P. N. Ignatiev; c) Ya. I. Rostovtsev. 24. What percentage of the Russian population was employed in agriculture in the second half of the 19th century? a) 90; b) 50; c) 35. 25. Specify the dates of the reign of Alexander 2? a) 1855-1881; b) 1843-1871; c) 1861-1881. 26. Members of which organization committed the murder of Alexander 2 on March 1, 1881? a) “Black redistribution”; b) “Land and Freedom”; c) “Narodnaya Volya”. 27. What was established instead of what was abolished in 1880? third section? a) Security department; b) State Police Department; c) Ministry of Police. 28. Russian Minister of Internal Affairs in 1880-1881, whose policy N.K. Mikhailovsky defined as “the policy of the fox’s tail and wolf’s mouth”: a) M.T. Loris - Melikov; b) K. P. Pobedonostsev; c) D. A. Tolstoy. 29. Who in the circle of Alexander 3 was a supporter of the modernization of Russia? a) S. Yu. Witte; b) D. A. Tolstoy; c) I. N. Durnovo 30. After the death of Alexander2 in Russia, the following begins: a) a course of counter-reforms; b) strengthening of the populist movement; c) expansion of the liberal movement. 31. Which states were united by the Triple Alliance in 1882? a) Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy; b) Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia; c) Germany, Italy and Turkey. 32. One of the social democratic organizations operating in St. Petersburg in the 1880s: a) “People's Will”; b) group “Emancipation of Labor” c) “Black Redistribution”

After the civil war, the Russian economy, to use modern “Obama” language, “was torn to shreds.” Truly torn and ruined. And the NEP only somewhat stabilized the problem of providing the country's population with food and consumer goods, but it caused a sharp increase in class contradictions in the countryside due to the growth in the number of kulaks and aggravated the class struggle in the countryside to open kulak uprisings.

Stalin said:
« We are 50-100 years behind advanced countries. We must cover this distance in ten years. Either we do this or we will be crushed. This is what our obligations to the workers and peasants of the USSR dictate to us.”

Industrialization is the socio-economic policy of the Bolshevik Party in the USSR, from 1927 to the end of the 30s, the main goals of which were the following:

1. Elimination of the technical and economic backwardness of the country;

2 . Achieving economic independence;

3. Creation of a powerful defense industry;

4. Priority development of a complex of basic industries: defense, fuel, energy, metallurgical, machine-building.

What paths of industrialization existed by that time and which ones were chosen by the Bolsheviks?

From statements Stalin regarding industrialization:

1. “History knows different ways of industrialization.
England industrialized due to the fact that it plundered the colony for tens and hundreds of years, collected “additional” capital there, invested it in its industry and accelerated the pace of its industrialization. This is one way of industrialization.
Germany accelerated its industrialization as a result of the victorious war with France in the 70s of the last century, when it took five billion francs in indemnity from the French and poured them into its industry. This is the second way of industrialization.

Both of these methods are closed to us, because we are a country of Soviets, because colonial robberies and military seizures for the purpose of robbery are incompatible with the nature of Soviet power.

Russia, old Russia handed out enslaving concessions and received enslaving loans, thus trying to gradually get out onto the path of industrialization. It's there third way. But this is the path of bondage or semi-bondage, the path of turning Russia into a semi-colony. This path is also closed to us, because we did not wage a three-year civil war, repelling any and all interventionists, so that later, after defeating the interventionists, we would voluntarily go into bondage with the imperialists.

There is a fourth way left industrialization, the path of one’s own savings for the cause of industry, the path of socialist accumulation, which Comrade repeatedly pointed out. Lenin, as the only way to industrialize our country.
(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 123.)

2. “What does it mean to industrialize our country? This means turning an agricultural country into an industrial country. This means placing and developing our industry on a new technical basis.

Can we take this “tested” path? No, we cannot, because the nature of Soviet power does not tolerate colonial plunder, and there is no reason to count on large loans and long-term credits.

Old Russia, Tsarist Russia, went to industrialization in a different way - by concluding enslaving loans and issuing enslaving concessions to the main branches of our industry. You know that almost the entire Donbass, more than half of the St. Petersburg industry, Baku oil and a number of railways, not to mention the electrical industry, were in the hands of foreign capitalists.This was the path of industrialization at the expense of the peoples of the USSR and against the interests of the working class. It is clear that we cannot take this path: it was not for this that we fought the yoke of capitalism, it was not for this that we overthrew capitalism in order to then voluntarily go under the yoke of capitalism.
There is only one path left, the path of one’s own savings, the path of saving, the path of prudent management in order to accumulate the necessary funds for the industrialization of our country. There are no words, this task is difficult. But, despite the difficulties, we are already resolving it. Yes, comrades, four years after the civil war we are already solving this problem.
(“Speech at a meeting of workers of the Stalin railway workshops of the October road” vol. 9 p. 172.)

3. “There are a number of accumulation channels, of which at least the main ones should be noted.

Firstly. It is necessary that the surplus accumulation in the country is not dissipated, but collected in our credit institutions, cooperative and state, as well as through internal loans, in order to use them for the needs, first of all, of industry. It is clear that investors should receive a certain percentage for this. It cannot be said that in this area things are at all satisfactory for us. But the task of improving our credit network, the task of raising the authority of credit institutions in the eyes of the population, the task of organizing the business of internal loans undoubtedly faces us as the next task, and we must solve it at all costs.

Secondly. It is necessary to carefully close all those paths and cracks through which part of the country's surplus accumulation flows into the pockets of private capital to the detriment of socialist accumulation. To do this, it is necessary to pursue a pricing policy that would not create a gap between wholesale prices and retail prices. It is necessary to take all measures to reduce retail prices for industrial and agricultural products in order to stop or at least minimize the leakage of surplus savings into the pockets of private traders. This is one of the most important issues of our economic policy. From here comes one of the serious dangers both for the cause of our accumulation and for the chervonets.

Thirdly. It is necessary that within the industry itself, in each of its branches, certain reserves should be set aside for the purpose of depreciation of enterprises, for the purpose of their expansion, for the purpose of their further development. This matter is necessary, absolutely necessary, it must be moved forward at all costs.

Fourthly. It is necessary that certain reserves accumulate in the hands of the state, necessary to insure the country against all kinds of accidents (shortfalls), to feed industry, to support agriculture, to develop culture, etc. It is now impossible to live and work without reserves. Even a peasant with his small farm cannot now manage without certain supplies. Moreover, the state of a great country cannot do without reserves.
(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 126.)

Funds for industrialization:
Where did the Bolsheviks get funds for industrialization?

1. Funds were withdrawn from agriculture and light industry;

2. Funds came from the sale of raw materials (Oil, gold, timber, grain, etc.);

3. Some treasures of museums and churches were sold;

6. Through the enthusiasm of workers who are building a new world for themselves without the exploitation of man by man.

7. Through powerful propaganda and agitation of new forms and new, collectivist methods of labor organization.

8. By organizing the advanced Stakhanov movement both in industrial production and in agriculture.

9. By introducing state awards for labor achievements.

And again the words Stalin regarding the foundations of industrialization in the USSR:

“So, is it possible to industrialize our country on the basis of socialist accumulation?
Do we have sources of such accumulation sufficient to ensure industrialization?
Yes, it's possible. Yes, we have such sources.

I could refer to such a fact as the expropriation of landowners and capitalists in our country as a result of the October Revolution, the destruction of private ownership of land, factories, factories, etc. and their transfer to public ownership. It hardly needs proof that this fact represents a fairly substantial source of accumulation.
I could further refer to such a fact as the cancellation of the tsarist debts, which removed billions of rubles of debt from the shoulders of our national economy. We should not forget that in leaving these debts we had to pay annually several hundred million in interest alone, to the detriment of industry, to the detriment of our entire national economy. Needless to say, this circumstance brought great relief to our accumulation.
I could point to our nationalized industry, which has recovered, which is developing and which provides some profits necessary for the further development of industry. This is also a source of accumulation.
I could point to our nationalized foreign trade, which provides some profit and therefore represents a certain source of accumulation.
One could refer to our more or less organized state internal trade, which also produces a certain profit and thus represents a certain source of accumulation.
One could point to such a lever of accumulation as our nationalized banking system, which gives a certain profit and feeds our industry to the best of our ability.
Finally, we have such a weapon as state power, which manages the state budget and which collects a small amount of money for the further development of the national economy in general, our industry in particular.

These are basically the main sources of our internal accumulation.
They are interesting in the sense that they give us the opportunity to create those necessary reserves, without which the industrialization of our country is impossible.”
(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 124.)

For, according to Stalin, the rapid pace of development of industry in general and the production of means of production in particular represents the main beginning and key of the country's industrial development, the main beginning and key of the transformation of our entire national economy on the basis of advanced socialist development.

At the same time, we cannot and should not curtail heavy industry for the sake of the comprehensive development of light industry. And light industry cannot be developed sufficiently without the accelerated development of heavy industry.
(“XV Congress of the CPSU(b)” vol. 10 p. 310.)

The result of industrialization was:

1. Creation of a powerful industry in the country;
From 1927 to 1937, over 7 thousand large industrial enterprises were built in the USSR;

2. The USSR took 2nd place in the world in terms of industrial production after the USA;

3. The USSR created its own powerful defense industry, new to Russia;

5. The USSR became the birthplace of technical astronautics, creating in the country a new, global industry of production, space, significantly ahead of the United States in this direction.

The results of the industrialization of the USSR turned out to be stunning not only for the inhabitants of the USSR, but also for the whole world. After all, former tsarist Russia in an unusually short time became a powerful, industrially and scientifically developed country, a power of global importance.

As you can see, Stalin turned out to be right in making from a completely collapsed Russia, from Russia plows and bast shoes, an advanced industrial power with the world's shortest working day, the world's best free education, advanced science, free medicine, national culture and the most powerful social guarantee of workers' rights countries

However, in today's Russia, everything is done differently from how Stalin did it in the USSR, and we have a Russia with barely glimmering industrial production, completely collapsed agriculture, dead science, a poor population barely making ends meet, but with countless billionaires of its own.

By the end of the 1930s. The USSR became one of the few countries capable of producing any type of industrial product available to humanity at that time. The country truly gained economic independence and independence. Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 was largely due to a more powerful industrial base than Germany and the whole of Europe. This base was created in the USSR under the leadership of Comrade Stalin during the first five-year plans.

Industrialization is the creation and development of large industry, primarily heavy industry, the transformation of the entire national economy on the basis of large-scale industrial production. Industrialization is not a stage unique to socialist construction. It is a prerequisite for the modernization of the country. However, by the mid-1920s, it became necessary for the USSR for a number of reasons.

Firstly, by 1925 The recovery period has ended. Soviet economy According to the main indicators, it reached the pre-war level. In order to ensure the growth of industrial production, it was necessary not so much to re-equip existing factories as to build new modern enterprises.

Secondly, it was necessary to decide more rationally problems of locating the country's economic potential. In the Central Industrial Region, which occupied only 3% of Russia's territories, 30% of industrial production and 40% of the working class were concentrated. The country still remained agrarian and peasant. The village was overpopulated. Unemployment grew in cities, which increased social tension.

Thirdly, the incentive to speed up industrialization was economic and political isolation of the country in the international arena. Being in a hostile capitalist environment, the USSR was under constant threat of war. The agricultural country had no chance to survive in the event of a military clash with industrialized powers.

The decision to begin industrialization was made at the XIV Congress of the CPSU(b) in December 1925. Actually, industrialization was discussed at the congress only in general outline. Here the main task of industrialization was formulated: to ensure the economic independence of the USSR, to transform it from a country importing equipment and machinery into a country producing them. Issues of the pace, sources and methods of its implementation were not considered at the congress. After the congress, heated debates broke out on these issues. Two points of view emerged: the left, led by L.D. Trotsky demanded “super-industrialization” at the expense of the peasantry, and the right, led by N.I. Bukharin advocated softer reforms and the development of a market economy.

The sources of industrialization were named at the April (1926) Plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks: income from state enterprises, domestic loans among the population, the strictest economy and frugality in production, socialist competition. Supporters of “super-industrialization” according to Trotsky were subjected to severe criticism from the Stalinist leadership.

Solving such a complex problem was impossible without switching to long-term planning. In December 1927, the XV Congress of the CPSU (b) adopted directives for the preparation of the first five-year plan. The decisions of the congress emphasized the need for balanced development of all sectors of the national economy, maintaining proportionality between accumulation and consumption.

At the suggestion of G.M. Krzhizhanovsky (chairman of the State Planning Committee), two versions of the five-year plan were developed - the starting (minimum) and optimal. The optimal numbers were approximately 20% higher than the starting one. The optimal plan option was taken as the basis. When assessing the first five-year plan, historians unanimously note the balance of its tasks, which, despite their scale, were quite realistic for implementation. The plan provided for an increase in industrial production by 180%, agricultural production by 55%. National income was planned to increase by 103%. Labor productivity in industry was supposed to increase by 110%, real wages by 71%, and peasant incomes by 67%. During the years of the first five-year plan (1927/28 - 1932/33), it was planned to build 1,500 industrial enterprises, mainly in heavy industry. Among them are such giants as the Dneproges, Magnitogorsk and Kuznetsk metallurgical plants, the Stalingrad and Chelyabinsk tractor plants, the Turkestan-Siberian Railway (Turksib), etc.

Already in 1929, the country's leadership began to call for speeding up the pace of industrialization. Stalin puts forward the slogan “Five-Year Plan in Four Years!” Planned targets are revised upward. The country was obliged to produce twice as much as initially planned in non-ferrous and ferrous metals, cast iron, cars, agricultural machinery, etc. In a number of industries (coal and oil mining), the growth rate was even higher. The November Plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks in 1929 approved new target figures for the five-year plan. The course is set for a “great leap”. This was partly due to the desire of a significant part of the workers to put an end to acute socio-economic problems and ensure the victory of socialism in the USSR through the revolutionary methods of the “Red Guard attack”. It should be recalled that by the end of the 1920s, the generation that grew up during the revolution and civil war came to production. Revolutionary methods and rhetoric were close and understandable to him. The conviction of the Bolshevik-Stalinists that in economics it is possible to act in the same way as in politics played a role - to organize and inspire the masses with lofty ideas and throw them into a decisive battle for the implementation of bright ideals. And so it happened.

When talking about the reasons for overestimating the first five-year plan targets, one should also keep in mind foreign policy aspects. At the end of the 1920s, the countries of the capitalist world, after stabilization, experienced a severe crisis. The imperialist countries are preparing for a new major war. In these conditions, the Kremlin believed that an industrial breakthrough was needed. I.V. Stalin said that in these conditions “...to slow down the pace means to fall behind... We are 50 to 100 years behind the advanced countries. We must cover this distance in ten years. Either we do this or we will be crushed.”

The Trotskyists and other saboteurs, expelled from power, sabotage industrialization so that the USSR would fall behind technically before the war and, on the crest of a wave of future war defeats, the Trotskyists could return to power. In 1928 it was held trial in the so-called “Shakhty affair”, organized on the eve of the adoption of the five-year plan, the meaning of which was, firstly, to exclude the Trotskyist element from production, and secondly, to show doubting workers the inadmissibility of skepticism regarding the five-year plan figures. In 1928-1929 A broad campaign was launched against “bourgeois pest specialists.” Under the pretext of belonging to “alien classes,” they were removed from their positions or even deprived of civil rights and repressed. At the same time, the creation of a “new technical intelligentsia” from workers and peasants took place. Lacking sufficient experience and knowledge, these engineers supported the radical changes brought about by industrialization because they benefited most from them.

The country was literally gripped by industrial fever. Manufacturing giants were built, cities arose (for example, Komsomolsk-on-Amur). In the east of the country, a new coal and metallurgical base has grown - the Ural-Kuzbass with the main centers in Magnitogorsk and Kuznetsk. Entire industries have emerged that did not exist in pre-revolutionary Russia: aviation, tractor, electrical, chemical industry etc. The USSR was truly turning into a country that not only imported, but also produced equipment.

The implementation of industrialization revealed a number of problems. Firstly, it became obvious that it was impossible to carry out large-scale industrial construction using the planned sources. At the beginning of the 1930s, the rate of industrial development began to fall: in 1933 it amounted to 5% versus 23.7% in 1928-1929. Lack of funds led to the “freezing” of almost a quarter of enterprises under construction. There were not enough construction materials, transport could not cope with the increased volume of traffic. Socialist enterprises, due to outdated equipment and poor labor organization, produced small profits. The standard of living of the population was low, so domestic loans were not so effective. The low level of new working intelligentsia and the constant expansion of the working class at the expense of low-skilled peasant youth did not allow increasing labor productivity and reducing production costs. There was a catastrophic shortage of funds.

Trotskyists believed that industrialization should be carried out at the expense of the peasantry. Although in 1927 Trotskyism was ideologically and organizationally defeated, this point of view was still preserved. In 1928, the Trotskyists organized an attack on the peasants, demanding that their grain be confiscated, and to make this easier, drive them into collective farms, i.e. carry out collectivization of agriculture in a short time.

In the conditions of the “great crisis,” Western countries began vying with each other to offer the USSR to purchase equipment from them on favorable terms. Large-scale import of equipment was not included in the five-year plan, but the country's leadership did not want to miss the opportunity. In 1931, Soviet purchases amounted to a third of world exports of machinery and equipment, and in 1932 - half. The state received funds for the purchase of equipment from the sale of bread. Agriculture is becoming the main source through which it was possible to carry out technical re-equipment of industry. To obtain additional funds, the government began issuing loans, implemented issue of money, which caused a sharp increase in inflation.

In search of funds, the state goes to extreme measures. In 1927, Prohibition was repealed and wide sale of alcohol. The source of obtaining currency for the purchase of equipment becomes sale of art treasures abroad from the largest museums of the USSR (Hermitage, Kremlin, Tretyakov Gallery etc.) At this time, the creations of the greatest artists and jewelers, rare collections of ancient manuscripts, books and weapons were exported from the USSR. This measure was justified, as it allowed the creation of a defense industry. Otherwise, having lost the impending war, our Motherland would have lost more than part of its cultural values, and all of them.

The shortage of funds worsened unprofitability of enterprises. Initially, it was meant that the purchased equipment would make a profit in a year or two. However, the lack of qualified personnel, poor labor organization and low discipline did not allow these plans to be realized. The equipment was idle and deteriorating. The percentage of defects was high: at some enterprises in Moscow it reached 65%. It is no coincidence that in the second five-year plan the slogan “Personnel who have mastered technology decides everything!” appears.

The transfer of funds for the creation of heavy industry led to the emergence of serious imbalances in the national economy: Light industry almost did not develop. In addition, the heaviest industry was dominated by enterprises related to military production.

Industrial development of new areas required not only large investments, but also increasing labor resources. During the years of industrialization, this problem was solved in several ways. Firstly, through Komsomol and youth calls for volunteers for five-year construction projects; secondly, with the help of allowances to wages and providing various benefits to persons working in difficult conditions.

Intensive industrial construction has led to sharp increase in urban population. The number of the working class during the years of the first five-year plans increased from 9 to 24 million people. And this, in turn, aggravated the food problem in the cities and led in 1929 to the introduction of the rationing system. The housing problem is also becoming more acute.

During the first five-year plan, centralized planning was sharply strengthened and a transition to administrative methods of economic management took place. This is explained by the fact that the scale of the tasks and the extreme limitation of material and financial resources They forced me to count every penny, every machine. In order to concentrate maximum forces and resources, tasks, resources and forms of remuneration are strictly regulated. As a result, over the years of the first five-year plans, the number of administrative staff increased more than 3 times, which created the basis for the establishment of a command-administrative system in the country.

The first five-year plan was completed in 4 years and 3 months. The second five-year plan (1933 - 1937) was approved at the XVII Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) in early 1934. It retained the trend towards the priority development of heavy industry. The main economic task was defined as the completion of the reconstruction of the national economy based on the latest technology. Since ultra-high growth rates can be achieved only at the first stage of any process, the rate of average annual growth decreased compared to the first five-year plan from 30 to 16.5%. More at a fast pace The development of light industry was expected, and investment in it increased several times.

In order to increase labor productivity, it was decided to revive material incentives. I.V. Stalin declares “war on equalization.” Payment is introduced depending on working conditions, output and category of the worker. Income inequality becomes a socialist virtue.

As noted above, the slogan of the second five-year plan was the call “Personnel who have mastered the technology decide everything!” In the fall of 1933, factory apprenticeship schools (FZU) were reorganized into professional educational institutions for training workers in mass professions. Advanced training courses were opened at factories and factories, and conditions were created for workers to study in evening schools and universities. The main form of advanced training for workers is the technical minimum. Its delivery was mandatory for workers in all industries.

All this gave positive results, and labor productivity doubled during the Second Five-Year Plan. The results of the second five-year plan were even higher than the first. More than 4.5 thousand large industrial enterprises came into operation, including the Ural Machine-Building and Chelyabinsk Tractor Plants, dozens of blast furnaces and open-hearth furnaces, mines, and power plants. The first metro line was built in Moscow. The industry of the Union republics developed at an accelerated pace.

Industrialization led to enormous changes. During the years of the first five-year plans, the economic level of the USSR increased sharply. Modern heavy industry was created. Despite the enormous costs, the percentage of annual production growth averaged from 10 to 16%, which was much higher than in developed capitalist countries. By the end of the 1930s. The USSR became one of the few countries capable of producing any type of industrial product available to humanity at that time. The country truly gained economic independence and independence. The victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was largely due to a more powerful industrial base than Germany and the whole of Europe. This base was created in the USSR under the leadership of Comrade Stalin during the first five-year plans.

After the civil war, the Russian economy, to use modern “Obama” language, “was torn to shreds.” Truly torn and ruined.

And the NEP only somewhat stabilized the problem of providing the country's population with food and consumer goods, but it caused a sharp increase in class contradictions in the countryside due to the growth in the number of kulaks and aggravated the class struggle in the countryside to open kulak uprisings.

Stalin said:

“We are 50-100 years behind advanced countries. We must cover this distance in ten years. Either we do this or we will be crushed. This is what our obligations to the workers and peasants of the USSR dictate to us».

Industrialization is the socio-economic policy of the Bolshevik Party in the USSR, from 1927 to the end of the 30s, the main goals of which were the following:

1. Elimination of the technical and economic backwardness of the country;

2. Achieving economic independence;

3. Creation of a powerful defense industry;

4. Priority development of a complex of basic industries: defense, fuel, energy, metallurgical, machine-building.

What paths of industrialization existed by that time and which ones were chosen by the Bolsheviks?

From Stalin's statements regarding industrialization:

1. “History knows different ways of industrialization.

England industrialized due to the fact that it plundered the colony for tens and hundreds of years, collected “additional” capital there, invested it in its industry and accelerated the pace of its industrialization. This is one way of industrialization.

Germany accelerated its industrialization as a result of the victorious war with France in the 70s of the last century, when it took five billion francs in indemnity from the French and poured them into its industry. This is the second way of industrialization.

Russia, old Russia handed out enslaving concessions and received enslaving loans, thus trying to gradually get out onto the path of industrialization. This is the third way.

But this is the path of bondage or semi-bondage, the path of turning Russia into a semi-colony. This path is also closed to us, because we did not wage a three-year civil war, repelling any and all interventionists, so that later, after defeating the interventionists, we would voluntarily go into bondage with the imperialists.

2. “What does it mean to industrialize our country? This means turning an agricultural country into an industrial country. This means placing and developing our industry on a new technical basis.

Remember the history of industrial development in England, Germany, America, and you will understand that this is exactly the case.

Even America, the most powerful of all capitalist countries, was forced to spend 30-40 years after the civil war in order to develop its industry through loans and long-term credits from outside and the plunder of neighboring states and islands.

Can we take this “tested” path? No, we cannot, because the nature of Soviet power does not tolerate colonial plunder, and there is no reason to count on large loans and long-term credits.

Old Russia, Tsarist Russia, went to industrialization in a different way - by concluding enslaving loans and issuing enslaving concessions to the main sectors of our industry.

You know that

almost the entire Donbass, more than half of the St. Petersburg industry, Baku oil and a number of railways, not to mention the electrical industry, were in the hands of foreign capitalists.

This was the path of industrialization at the expense of the peoples of the USSR and against the interests of the working class. It is clear that we cannot take this path: it was not for this that we fought the yoke of capitalism, it was not for this that we overthrew capitalism in order to then voluntarily go under the yoke of capitalism.

There is only one way left, the path of one’s own savings, the path of saving, the path of prudent management in order to accumulate the necessary funds for the industrialization of our country.

There are no words, this task is difficult. But, despite the difficulties, we are already resolving it. Yes, comrades, four years after the Civil War we are already solving this problem. (“Speech at a meeting of workers of the Stalin Railway Workshops of the October Road” vol. 9 p. 172.)

3. “There are a number of accumulation channels, of which at least the main ones should be noted.

It is necessary to take all measures to reduce retail prices for industrial and agricultural products in order to stop or at least minimize the leakage of surplus savings into the pockets of private traders. This is one of the most important issues of our economic policy. From here comes one of the serious dangers both for the cause of our accumulation and for the chervonets.

Fourth. It is necessary that certain reserves accumulate in the hands of the state, necessary to insure the country against all kinds of accidents (shortfalls), to feed industry, to support agriculture, to develop culture, etc.

It is now impossible to live and work without reserves. Even a peasant with his small farm cannot now manage without certain supplies. Moreover, the state of a great country cannot do without reserves. (“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 126.)

Funds for industrialization:

Where did the Bolsheviks get funds for industrialization?

1. Funds were withdrawn from agriculture and light industry;

2. Funds came from the sale of raw materials (Oil, gold, timber, grain, etc.);

3. Some treasures of museums and churches were sold;

4. The private sector was taxed up to the complete confiscation of property.

5. By reducing the standard of living of the population, due to rising prices, the introduction of a card distribution system, individual government loans, etc.

6. Through the enthusiasm of workers who are building a new world for themselves without the exploitation of man by man.

7. Through powerful propaganda and agitation of new forms and new, collectivist methods of labor organization.

8. By organizing the advanced Stakhanov movement both in industrial production and in agriculture.

9. By introducing state awards for labor achievements.

And again Stalin’s words regarding the foundations of industrialization in the USSR:

“So, is it possible to industrialize our country on the basis of socialist accumulation?
Do we have sources of such accumulation sufficient to ensure industrialization? Yes, it's possible. Yes, we have such sources.
I could refer to this fact, like the expropriation of landowners and capitalists in our country as a result of the October Revolution, destruction of private ownership of land, factories, factories, etc. and transferring them to public ownership. It hardly needs proof that this fact represents a fairly substantial source of accumulation.
I might refer further to the fact that cancellation of royal debts, which removed billions of rubles of debt from the shoulders of our national economy. We should not forget that in leaving these debts we had to pay annually several hundred million in interest alone, to the detriment of industry, to the detriment of our entire national economy. Needless to say, this circumstance brought great relief to our accumulation.
I could point to our nationalized industry, which has recovered, which is developing and which provides some profits necessary for the further development of the industry. This is also a source of accumulation.
I could point to our nationalized foreign trade, giving some profit and representing, therefore, a certain source of accumulation.
One could refer to our more or less organized state internal trade, which also gives a certain profit and thus represents a certain source of accumulation.
One could point to such an accumulation lever as ours nationalized banking system, which gives a certain profit and feeds our industry to the best of our ability.
Finally, we have weapons like government authority that manages the state budget and which collects a small amount of money for the further development of the national economy in general, and our industry in particular.
These are basically the main sources of our internal accumulation.
They are interesting in the sense that they give us the opportunity to create those necessary reserves, without which the industrialization of our country is impossible.”

(“On the economic situation and policy of the party” vol. 8 p. 124.)

At the same time, we cannot and should not curtail heavy industry for the sake of the comprehensive development of light industry. And light industry cannot be developed sufficiently without the accelerated development of heavy industry. (“XV Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)” vol. 10 p. 310.)

The result of industrialization was:

1. Creation of a powerful industry in the country; From 1927 to 1937, over 7 thousand large industrial enterprises were built in the USSR;

2. The USSR took 2nd place in the world in terms of industrial production after the USA;

3. The USSR created its own powerful defense industry, new to Russia;

4. In the USSR, on the basis of powerful industrial production, industrial science also began to develop powerfully, determining the technical level of technologies developed and used in industrial production;

5. The USSR became the birthplace of technical astronautics, creating in the country a new, global industry of production, space, significantly ahead of the United States in this direction.

The results of the industrialization of the USSR turned out to be stunning not only for the inhabitants of the USSR, but also for the whole world. After all, former tsarist Russia in an unusually short time became a powerful, industrially and scientifically developed country, a power of global importance.

As you can see, Stalin turned out to be right in making from a completely collapsed Russia, from Russia plows and bast shoes, an advanced industrial power with the world's shortest working day, the world's best free education, advanced science, free medicine, national culture and the most powerful social guarantee of workers' rights countries.

However, in today's Russia, everything is done differently from how Stalin did it in the USSR, and we have a Russia with barely glimmering industrial production, completely collapsed agriculture, dead science, a poor population barely making ends meet, but with countless billionaires of its own.

What was the financial source of industrialization? Stalin's industrialization of the USSR

1. Elimination of the technical and economic backwardness of the country;

2. Achieving economic independence;

3. Creation of a powerful defense industry;

4. Priority development of a complex of basic industries: defense, fuel, energy, metallurgical, machine-building.

What paths of industrialization existed by that time and which ones were chosen by the Bolsheviks?

1. “History knows different ways of industrialization.

2. “What does it mean to industrialize our country? This means turning an agricultural country into an industrial country. This means placing and developing our industry on a new technical basis.

almost the entire Donbass, more than half of the St. Petersburg industry, Baku oil and a number of railways, not to mention the electrical industry, were in the hands of foreign capitalists.

3. “There are a number of accumulation channels, of which at least the main ones should be noted.

Funds for industrialization:

And again Stalin’s words regarding the foundations of industrialization in the USSR:

The result of industrialization was:

1. Creation of a powerful industry in the country; From 1927 to 1937, over 7 thousand large industrial enterprises were built in the USSR;

2. The USSR took 2nd place in the world in terms of industrial production after the USA;

3. The USSR created its own powerful defense industry, new to Russia;

4. In the USSR, on the basis of powerful industrial production, industrial science also began to develop powerfully, determining the technical level of technologies developed and used in industrial production;

5. The USSR became the birthplace of technical astronautics, creating in the country a new, global industry of production, space, significantly ahead of the United States in this direction.

However, in today's Russia, everything is done differently from how Stalin did it in the USSR, and we have a Russia with barely glimmering industrial production, completely collapsed agriculture, dead science, a poor population barely making ends meet, but with countless billionaires of its own.

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