Comparing the past and the present is necessary to improve the future, while it is desirable not to repeat the mistakes of the ancestors. The USSR is a once mighty superpower, which at one time made a considerable contribution to the development of society. Five-year plans were one of the cornerstones of the life of Soviet citizens. According to their results, historians can judge the industrialization of the country, compare the achievements of the past and the present, find out how far our generation has gone technologically and what else is worth striving for. So, the topic of this article is the five-year plan in the USSR. The table below will help to structure the acquired knowledge in a logical order.
First Five-Year Plan (1928–1932)
So, the 1st five-year plan began in the name of building socialism. The country after the revolution needed industrialization in order to keep up with the leading European powers. In addition, only with the help of a forced build-up of industrial potential could it be possible to rally the country and bring the USSR to a new military level, as well as to raise the level of agriculture throughout the vast territory. According to the government, a strict and irreproachable plan was needed.
So the mainthe goal was to build up military power as quickly as possible.
Main tasks of the first five-year plan
At the XIV Congress of the CPSU (b), at the end of 1925, Stalin expressed the idea that it was necessary to turn the USSR from a country importing imported weapons and equipment into a country that itself could produce and supply all this to other states. Of course, there were people who expressed an ardent protest, but it was suppressed by the opinion of the majority. Stalin himself became interested in making the country a leader in the very first five-year plan, putting metallurgy in first place. So, the process of industrialization had to go through 4 stages:
- Revival of transport infrastructure.
- Expansion of economic sectors related to the extraction of materials and agriculture.
- Redistribution of state-owned enterprises across the territory.
- Changing the operation of the energy complex.
All four processes did not take place in turn, but were intricately intertwined. Thus began the 1st five-year plan for the industrialization of the country.
All ideas could not be realized, but the production of heavy industry has grown almost 3 times, and mechanical engineering - 20 times. Naturally, such a successful completion of the project caused quite natural joy for the government. Of course, the first five-year plans in the USSR were hard for people. A table with the results of the first of them would contain the following words as a slogan or sub title: "The main thing is to start!"
It was at this time that many recruiting posters appeared, reflectingthe main goal and identity of the Soviet people.
The main construction sites at that time were coal mines in the Donbass and Kuzbass, the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. Thanks to this, it was possible to achieve the financial independence of the USSR. The most prominent building is the DneproGES. The year 1932 was marked by the end of not only the first five-year plan, but also the most important construction for heavy industry.
The new power by leaps and bounds strengthens its status in Europe.
Five Year Plan Number Two (1933-1937)
The second five-year plan in high circles was called the “five-year plan of collectivization” or “public education”. It was approved by the VII Congress of the CPSU (b). After heavy industry, the country needed the development of the national economy. It was this area that became the main goal of the second five-year plan.
Main directions of the second five-year plan
The main forces and finances of the government at the beginning of the "five-year plan of collectivization" were directed to the construction of metallurgical plants. Uralo-Kuzbass appeared, the first current of the DneproGES started up. The country did not lag behind in scientific achievements. So, the second five-year plan was marked by the first landing at the North Pole of the Papanin expedition, the polar station SP-1 appeared. The metro was actively built.
At this time, great emphasis was placed on socialist competition among workers. The most famous drummer of the five-year plan is Alexei Stakhanov. In 1935, he set a new record by completing the norm of 14 shifts in one shift.
Third Five-Year Plan (1938-1942)
The beginning of the third five-year plan was marked byslogan: "To catch up and overtake the production per capita of the developed capitalist countries!" The main efforts of the government were aimed at increasing the country's defense capability, just as in the first five-year plan, which caused the production of consumer goods to suffer.
Directions of the Third Five-Year Plan
By the beginning of 1941, almost half (43%) of the country's capital investments went to raising the level of heavy industry. On the eve of the war in the USSR, in the Urals and in Siberia, fuel and energy bases developed rapidly. It was necessary for the government to create a "second Baku" - a new oil production area, which was supposed to appear between the Volga and the Urals.
Special attention was paid to tank, aviation and other plants of this kind. The level of production of ammunition and artillery pieces has increased significantly. However, the armament of the USSR still lagged behind the Western one, in particular the German one, but they were not in a hurry with the release of new types of weapons even in the first months of the war.
Fourth Five-Year Plan (1946-1950)
After the war, all countries had to revive their production and economy, the USSR managed to do this almost completely at the end of the 40s, when the fourth term began. The five-year plan did not mean building up military power, as before, but the revival of society lost in all spheres of life during the war.
Main achievements of the Fourth Five-Year Plan
In just two yearsthe same level of industrial production was reached as in the pre-war period, even though the plans for the second and third five-year plans put forward harsh working standards. In 1950, the main production assets returned to the 1940 level. When the 4th Five-Year Plan ended, the industry grew by 41%, and the construction of buildings - by 141%.
The new DneproGES has again come into operation, all the mines of Donbass have been restored. On this note, the 4th Five-Year Plan ended.
Fifth Five-Year Plan (1951-1955)
During the Fifth Five-Year Plan, atomic weapons become widespread, the world's first nuclear power plant appears in Obninsk, and in early 1953, N. S. Khrushchev takes the post of head of state instead of I. V. Stalin.
Main achievements of the fifth five-year plan
As capital investment in industry has doubled, so too has output (by 71%), and in agriculture by 25%. Soon new metallurgical plants were built - Caucasian and Cherepovets. The Tsimlyanskaya and Gorkovskaya HPPs were featured in full or in part on the front page. And at the end of the fifth five-year plan, science heard about atomic and hydrogen bombs.
Finally, the first Volga-Don Canal and the Omsk oil refinery were built, and the rate of coal production increased significantly. And 12.5 million hectares of new land came into circulation.
Sixth Five-Year Plan (1956-1960)
More than 2,500 major enterprises were put into operation when the sixth five-year plan began. At the end of it, in 1959, a parallel seven-year plan began. The national income of the country has risen by 50%. Capital investment at this time doubled again, which led to the widespread development of light industry.
Main achievements of the sixth five-year plan
Gross production of industry and agriculture increased by more than 60%. Gorkovskaya, Volzhskaya, Kuibyshevskaya and Irkutskaya HPPs were completed. By the end of the five-year plan, the world's largest worsted factory was built in Ivanovo. Active development of virgin lands began in Kazakhstan. The USSR finally got a nuclear missile shield.
The world's first satellite was launched on October 4, 1957. Heavy industry developed with incredible efforts. However, there were more failures, so the government organized a seven-year plan, including the seventh five-year plan and the last two years of the sixth.
Seventh Five-Year Plan (1961-1965)
As you know, in April 1961, the first man in the world flew into space. This event marked the beginning of the seventh five-year plan. The national income of the country continues to grow rapidly and increases by almost 60% over the next five years. The level of gross industrial output increased by 83%, agriculture - by 15%.
By the middle of 1965, the USSR had taken a leading position in the extraction of coal and iron ore, as well as in the production of cement, and this is not surprising. The country was still actively developing heavy industry and the construction industry, cities were growing before our eyes, and strong buildings needed cement.
Eighth Five-Year Plan (1966-1970)
The five-year plan was not for the production of materials,and the construction of new buildings and factories. Cities continue to expand. Leonid Brezhnev takes over as head of state. During these five years, many metro stations appeared, the West Siberian and Karaganda metallurgical plants, the first automobile plant VAZ (output: 600 thousand cars per year), the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station - the largest station in the world at that time.
Active housing construction solved the problem of deprivation (the echoes of the war still echoed in the big cities). At the end of 1969, more than 5 million residents received new apartments. After Yu. A. Gagarin's flight into space, astronomy made a big leap forward, the first lunar rover was created, soil was brought from the Moon, machines reached the surface of Venus.
Ninth Five-Year Plan (1971-1975)
During the ninth five-year plan, more than a thousand industrial enterprises were built, the gross volume of industrial production increased by 45%, and agricultural - by 15%. The automotive industry is actively developing, cars and railways are being repaired. Capital investments exceeded 300 billion rubles a year.
The development of oil and gas wells in Western Siberia led to the construction of many enterprises, the laying of oil pipelines. Since, with the advent of a large number of factories, the level of the employed population also increased, the sign “Drummer of the Ninth Five-Year Plan” was established (for difference in labor and production).
Tenth Five-Year Plan (1976-1980)
Active increase in national income and industrial output is starting to decline. Now the country doesn't need huge growthenterprises, but the stable development of all industries is always necessary.
Oil production came to the fore, so in five years a lot of oil pipelines were built, stretching across Western Siberia, where hundreds of stations deployed their work. The number of working equipment has increased significantly: tractors, combines, trucks.
Eleventh Five-Year Plan (1981-1985)
An extremely turbulent time began for the USSR. Everyone in the government felt the coming of the crisis, for which there were many reasons: internal, external, political and economic. At one time, it was possible to change the structure of power without abandoning socialism, but none of this was produced. Because of the crisis, the people occupying the leading positions of the state were replaced very quickly. So, L. I. Brezhnev remained secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU until 1982-10-11, Yu. V. Andropov held this position until 1984-13-02, K. U. Chernenko - until 1985-10-03.
Transportation of gases from Western Siberia to Western Europe continues to develop. The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod oil pipeline, 4,500 km long, was built, crossing the Ural Range and hundreds of rivers.
Twelfth Five-Year Plan (1986-1990)
The last five-year plan for the USSR. During her time, it was planned to implement a long-term economic strategy, but the plans were not destined to come true. At this time, many received the badge of the shock worker of the twelfth five-year plan: collective farmers, workers, enterprise specialists, engineers … It was planned (and partially executed)set up the production of light industry.
Five-year plans of the USSR: summary table
So, we briefly listed all the five-year plans in the USSR. The table presented to your attention will help to systematize and summarize the above material. It summarizes the most important aspects of each plan.
| (five-year years) | Plan objectives | Main buildings of five-year plans | Results |
|
First (1928-1932) |
Increase the military power and increase the production level of heavy industry at any cost. | Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, DneproGES, coal mines in Donbass and Kuzbass. | The production of heavy industry increased by 3 times and mechanical engineering by 20 times, unemployment was eliminated. |
|
Second (1933-1937) |
I. V. Stalin: “We must catch up with the advanced countries in 5-10 years, otherwise we will be crushed.” The country needed an increase in the level of all types of industry, both heavy and light. |
Uralo-Kuzbass - the second coal and metallurgical base of the country, the shipping channel "Moscow - Volga". | National income and industrial production increased significantly (2 times), rural - 1.5 times. |
|
Third (1938-1942) |
Due to the aggressive policy of Nazi Germany, the main forces were thrown into the defense of the country andmachinery manufacturing, as well as heavy industry. | Emphasis on educational institutions at the beginning of the five-year plan, after efforts are transferred to the Urals: aircraft, cars, guns and mortars are produced there. | The country has suffered heavy losses due to the war, but has made significant progress in defense and heavy industry. |
|
Fourth (1946-1950) |
Restoration of the country after the Great Patriotic War. It is necessary to achieve the same level of production as in the pre-war period. | DneproGES, power plants of Donbass, North Caucasus are recommissioned. | By 1948, the pre-war level was reached, the United States was deprived of the monopoly on atomic weapons, the prices of essential goods were significantly reduced. |
|
Fifth (1951-1955) |
Increase in national income and industrial output. |
Volga-Don Shipping Canal (1952). Obninsk NPP (1954). |
Many reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations have been built, and the level of industrial production has doubled. Science learns about atomic and hydrogen bombs. |
|
Sixth (1956-1960) |
Increasing investment not only in heavy industry, but also in light industry, as well as in agriculture. |
Gorkovskaya, Kuibyshevskaya, Irkutsk and Volgogradskaya HPPs. Worsted plant (Ivanovo). |
Capital investments have almost doubled, the lands of Western Siberia and the Caucasus are being actively developed. |
|
Seventh (1961-1965) |
Increasing national income and developing science. | April 12 - Yuri Gagarin's flight. | Increased fixed assets by 94%, national income grew by 62%, gross industrial output by 65%. |
|
Eighth (1966-1970) |
Increase in all indicators: gross industrial output, agriculture, national income. |
The Krasnoyarsk, Bratsk, Saratov hydroelectric power stations, the West Siberian Metallurgical Plant, the Volga Automobile Plant (VAZ) are under construction. The first lunar rover was created. |
Astronomy advanced (soil was brought from the Moon, the surface of Venus was reached), nat. income grew by 44%, the volume of industry - by 54%. |
|
Ninth (1971-1975) |
Develop the domestic economy and engineering. | Construction of oil refineries in Western Siberia, the beginning of the construction of an oil pipeline. | The chemical industry is developing significantly after the development of deposits in Western Siberia. 33,000 km of gas pipelines and 22,500 km of oil pipelines have been laid. |
|
Tenth (1976-1980) |
Opening of new enterprises, development of Western Siberia and the Far East. | Kama plant, Ust-Ilim HPP. |
The number of gas and oil pipelines has increased. New industries sprang up. |
|
Eleventh (1981-1985) |
Increase the efficiency of the use of production assets. | Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod oil pipeline, 4,500 km long. |
The length of gas and oil pipelines has reached 110 and 56 thousand km, respectively. National income increased, social benefits increased. Expanded technical equipment of factories. |
|
Twelfth (1986-1990) |
Implementation of a reformist economic strategy. | Mostly residential buildings. | Partial production of light industry. Increasing the power supply of enterprises. |
No matter how difficult these plans are, the results of the five-year plans show the perseverance and courage of the people. Yes, not everything was done. The sixth five-year plan had to be "extended" at the expense of the seven-year plan.
Although the five-year plans were difficult in the USSR (the table is a direct confirmation of this), but the Soviet people steadfastly coped with all the norms and even exceeded their plans. The main slogan of all five-year plans was: “Five-year plan in four years!”
