Industrial and social developments in towns and cities

Between 1929-1941, state power helped transform the Soviet Union's industrial foundation to a 'command economy' with 3 successful 5 year plans. Criptic targets were set and enforced relentlessly. This industrialisation rush was costly and inefficient; the outcomes were far less than claimed in state propaganda. It caused great poverty for millions of workers/peasants. But by 1941, the building blocks of a modern industrialised state had been placed. 

Gosplan

State Planning Agency. Organised the process that industry is transformed under the 5 Year Plans.

• Drew up plans and set product targets for all economic companies, in confiring with Party directives.
• Their targets were usually strongly ambitious. If party leaders didn't think they were, they were corrected upwards.
• Process was difficult as they didn't have reliable statistics on the economy to rest targets on, especially on imports and possible exports.
• Severe punishments for missing targets, so companies forged production figures. Over-criptic planning assumptions were never corrected.
• Regional Party bosses competed for their own regions to have the most resources and to get assigned with the most reputble new projects.

Criticisms of the Five Year Plans

• Nothing like them were tried before, so their was no obvious example to learn from.
• In addition, the initiall successsed occured during the 1929 Wall Street Crash and Great Depression.
• Effectiveness of 3rd 5 Year Plan was reduced partially due to the growing threat of which Nazi Germany presented to USSR, diverting funds into defence and weaponry.
• Foundational problem with these plans were Stalin's increasingly authoritarian and repressive regime, where any criticism of the system was likely viewed as treason.

New industrial projects & centers

Plans involved many projects designed to showcase USSR's freshness & capabilities. 3 Examples:

Dnieprostroi Dam

• Constructed between 27-32.
• Dam generating hydro-electric power, Ukrainian Dnieper river.
• 1 of largest power stations in world at time.
• Once 5 extra generators were installed in 2nd 5YP, dam increase electric power 5 times.
• Powered aluminum & steel production in new nearby industrial centers.

Moscow Metro

• Constructed between 32-37.
• 1st USSR underground railway system.
• 2nd 5YP project, help Moscow deal with rapid industrialisation as peasants moved to cities.
• Aimed in showcasing socialist state's achievements; chandeliers, marble walls & detailed mosaics.
• Massive recruitment campaigns organised finding unskilled labourers constructing this.

Moscow-Volga Canal

• Constructed between 32-37.
• 128km canal connecting Moshva-Volga River.
• Made small river ship navigable, connecting Moscow with 5 seas…