Russia Under Stalin essays

Russia Under Stalin essays When Lenin's reign over the Soviet Empire ended in 1924, the future course of Communist policies and dominance of the party were cast into uncertainty. This insecurity in the Soviet nation was even further intensified by the rocky period of transition and the shaky events surrounding the succession of power. However, by 1928 Joseph Stalin managed to emerge as the new leader of the Soviets. With this new leader the course of Communist economic policies were also renewed along with the goals of the party. In the following years, the effects of these policies served to have a profound impact not only upon the Russian peoples, but the entire Soviet Republic as well. In 1928, the Communist Party approved the first of Stalin's proposed Five-Year Plans. The two major policies specified in this plan were extremely demanding and many argued that most of the set goals were unattainable. Firstly, Stalin called for the collectivisation of all farmlands in the nation, thus transferring the control of all private farming into the hands of the Soviet Government. Secondly, Stalin called for the beginnings of major industrial development, especially in the areas of heavy industry. He further emphasized his call for massive industrialization when he spoke to his industrial managers in 1932, "We are 100 years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this lag in ten years. Either we do it, or they crush us!" In his efforts to attain equality with the "advanced countries" Stalin placed the management of these two programs in the hands of the Soviet economic planning committee or GOSPLAN. GOSPLAN's primary function was to set the annual quotas for the grain harvests and the production goals for the various industries. These figures were then reported to Stalin who would in turn propose new policies and goals for the upcoming year. In 1929, Stalin launched his campaign to "liquidate the kulaks ...