A comparison of the economic platforms and programs of the Soviet, Fascist and Nazi regimes in the inter-war period (for use in History 12 in B.C., Canada(

1. The Rise of Dictators
Comparing Economic Plans
J. Marshall, 2009

2. Russia in 1921
Under Lenin, Russia was suffering at the end of
the Civil War:
– Devastated land, farms ruined, food supplies
exhausted
– Drought and effects of war led to famine
– 50-90% of people starving
– Industrial production broke down completely
– Bolsheviks destroyed the economy with their
enemies
– Riots / open rebellion

3. Lenin’s NEP
• Re-established limited economic freedom in
an attempt to rebuild agriculture and small
industry
• Heavy industry remained nationalized
• It proved shrewd and successful politically
and economically
• Compromised with peasants to speed
recovery
• Returned to pre-WWI levels
• Compromise with capitalism, small private
operations, profit,
• Remember Kulaks
• Created internal political conflict
“From the NEP
Russia will
(be)come the
Socialist Russia”
1921

4. Stalin
• Ends NEP
• “Socialism in one country” - no world
revolution, internal focus
• Soviet industry 50-100 years behind
• 5-Year Plans (revolution from above)
–
–
–
–
Build strong base of heavy industry
Self-sufficiency
Modern infrastructure
Generate new attitudes, loyalties, and new socialist
identity
– 250% increase in industrial output
• GOSPLAN - oversaw implementation

5. Stalin
• Eliminate private enterprise and
capitalism, private ownership (from NEP), and propertyowning peasants
• Challenge by Kulaks
– Wealthy peasant class
• Collectivization
–
–
–
–
Agricultural plan to eliminate private ownership of land
Used agricultural funds to help industry
Destroyed Kulaks
By 1932, almost all peasants lived on collective farms, but
at a high cost
– Famine resulted as people destroyed crops and
slaughtered animals/Stalin sells grain overseas

6. Hoarding, 1929
Collective Farm
State Farm, 1932
Famine, 1933

7. Stalin
• Results
– Collectivization brought victory for communist ideologues
– Agricuture supplemented industrial growth
– Collectivization called “the second serfdom” minimized
power in rural areas
– Millions killed or died of famine
– Industry produced 4 times as much in 1937 as 1928
– Urban migration of more than 25 million
– Increased government control of labor and agricutural
workers
– Agricultural workers won private plots (22% on 4%)
– Avoided economic contraction of the west

8. • Started out as a
revolutionary left-wing
journalist
• Verbal assaults on rival
socialists win him favor
with conservatives
Mussolini

9. Mussolini
• He allowed followers to
believe he was opposing
the Reds
• Savior of law and order
and property

10. Mussolini
• He allowed followers to
believe he was opposing
the Reds
• Savior of law and order
and property
Red Ru
le
Capture
a
product ll
s.
Murder
those
who en
for
the law ce
.
Blow up
barrack
s.
Liberate
prisone
rs
.
Burn pu
bli
records c
of
indebte
dness.

11. Mussolini
• He allowed followers to
believe he was opposing
the Reds
• Savior of law and order
and property
Red Ru
le
Capture
a
product ll
s.
Murder
those
who en
for
the law ce
.
Blow up
barrack
s.
Liberate
prisone
rs
.
Burn pu
bli
records c
of
indebte
dness.

12. Cult of Personality

13. Mussolini Economics
• Mussolini condemned laissez-faire capitalism but also
Marxist appeals to class
• Introduced the corporate state--economy run as 22
separate corporations with reps from business, fascist
organized labor unions, and the state.
• State interest dictated policy and production priorities
• Allowed private property and profit

14. Mussolini Economics
• Mussolini condemned laissez-faire capitalism but also
Marxist appeals to class
• Introduced the corporate state--economy run as 22
separate corporations with reps from business, fascist
organized labor unions, and the state.
• State interest dictated policy and production priorities
• Allowed private property and profit

15. Mussolini Economics
• Mussolini condemned laissez-faire capitalism but also
Marxist appeals to class
• Introduced the corporate state--economy run as 22
separate corporations with reps from business, fascist
M
organized labor unions, and the state.
• State interest dictated policy and production priorities
• Allowed private property and profit

16. Let the workers
feel they have
a voice in this
top-down
administration
of the
economy.

17. Hitler
• De-emphasized anti-capitalist elements to win support
of middle-class
• Vowed to fight Bolshevism
• Germany devastated from WWI, reparations, and
Great Depression
• Unemployment at 43% in 1932
• He promised Germans economic, political, and
international salvation
• Rejected free market capitalism and advocated govt.
programs to bring recovery

18. Hitler’s Economic Plan
• Outlawed strikes
• Professional organizations were
swallowed, communications and
universities taken over
• He promised economic
recovery--work and bread and
he delivered
• Public works program to build
infrastructure, appointed
Schacht as central banker,
helped restore credit and
business
S

19. Strength Through Joy

24. Hitler’s Economic Plan
• Rearmament
• Unemployment dropped from 6 million in
1933 to 1 million in 1936 (shortage of workers by 1938)
• Improved standard of living, business profits
rose sharply and recovery was tangible
• 1936:
4-Year Plan
– Promote self-sufficiency (autarky) in strategic
commodities
– Independent labor unions replaced by National Labor
Front, state-run union
– Projects like the autobahn

25. Leftist
newspaper
parody of
remilitarization,
1935
or Butter ?
Guns

26. Assignment:
In a mini-essay, compare and contrast the
economic policies of Stalin, Mussolini, and
Hitler. Be sure to include their philosophical
approaches and the outcomes that were
realized.
think: Government / Industry / Workers / Population-at-large

27. End