IB Russia 1924-53 Knowledge Quiz - By Dan Guiney

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| By Daniel Guiney

Daniel Guiney

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Quizzes Created: 7 | Total Attempts: 2,764

| Attempts: 125

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1/70 Questions

Stalin helped set up which Communist newspaper (meaning ‘Truth’)? (Easy question for Sean!)
- Iskra
- Pravda
- Chukra
- Smirnov

About This Quiz

An end of topic knowledge test for History students from www. Flippinghistory. Net

IB Russia 1924-53 Knowledge Quiz - By Dan Guiney - Quiz

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2.

Who then broke his ‘record’?
- Neville Neville
- Ivan Ivanovich
- John Johnson
- Marcus Marcuson
Correct Answer

A. Ivan Ivanovich

Explanation

Despite these incredible successes however safety was neglected. Machinery was often used without proper training and levels of pay were low. The government ordered factory canteens to keep rabbits to ensure a supply of food! Moreover, a passport system was introduced in 1932 to restrict workers from moving to other jobs and absenteeism became a criminal offence which could lead to imprisonment from 1939. One industrial worker, Tatyana Fyodorova, described how she had to wear size 11 boots in her size 4 feet to construct the Moscow underground. J Scott in his book Behind the Urals writes “Many were completely unfamiliar with industrial tools”

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3.

In which country was the 1932-33 Holodomor famine?
- Italy
- Germany
- Ukraine
- UK
Correct Answer

A. Ukraine

Explanation

Between 1928-33 the number of cattle halved and this loss was not recovered until 1953. Grain production also fell, declining from 73.3 million tons in 1928 to 67.6 million in 1934. The rural population also starved and there was widespread famine in the years 1932-33 especially in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus. If time allows you should really research Holdomor as a human catastrophe. Some even resorted to eating their own children to survive although the government claimed there was no famine (a claim supported by British socialists Sidney and Beatrice Webb).

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4.

In 1903 the SRs split. What does SR mean?
- Slippery Rhubarb
- Socialist Revolutionary
- Slovakian Rabbits
- Siberian Rulers
Correct Answer

A. Socialist Revolutionary

Explanation

In 1903 the Socialist Revolutionary Party broke into two – the Bolsheviks (meaning majority) and the Mensheviks (meaning minority) – although in actual fact the names should be reversed! They were a party arguing about how to change government in Russia and who wanted to do away with autocracy and capitalism.

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5.

What was the first nickname of Stalin?
- Koba
- Cutie pie
- Sweetchops
- 혁명적
Correct Answer

A. Koba

Explanation

Koba was a Robin Hood style figure in Georgia.

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6.

Name the two members of the Triumvirate along with Stalin?
- Kaganovich and Beria
- Dzerzhinsky and Rykov
- Bukharin and Sukhomlinov
- Zinoviev and Kamenev
Correct Answer

A. Zinoviev and Kamenev

Explanation

Stalin took sides with two leading Left wing Party members, Zinoviev and Kamenev, in order to isolate Trotsky, accusing him of factionalism. This was known as the Triumvirate and prevented Trotsky forming a larger support base. Trotsky then joined forces with Zinoviev and Kamenev in 1925 arguing against the New Economic Policy and in favour of Permanent Revolution. Stalin as we know opposed this policy and with the support he had built up in the Politburo through his work as General Secretary managed to defeat them at the 15th Party Congress arguing instead that Russia needed to consolidate its gains before promoting revolution abroad (China for example did not become Communist until 1949).

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7.

Many Kulaks were taken away to labour camps. What were these known as?
- Work Zone
- Concentration Camp
- KZ
- Gulag
Correct Answer

A. Gulag

Explanation

Initially collectivization was a voluntary process but by 1929 the government soon started forcing people into larger collective farms. Many were labelled ‘class enemies’ and taken to gulags (concentration camps) or deported to Siberia. Many people in wealthier areas such as the Caucasus and the Ukraine (nicknamed the ‘bread basket’) opposed this and many set fire to their homes or killed their livestock rather than see it be taken away by the state. These opponents were dealt with harshly by dekulakization squads and the secret police.

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8.

Complete the Stalin quotation: “I trust nobody, not even ___________”
- Ciara
- Warren
- Marcus
- Myself
Correct Answer

A. Myself

Explanation

A Russian joke from the time was:

First man: What do you think of our great leader Stalin?
Second man: Exactly the same as you, Comrade
First man: In that case I must arrest you

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9.

What does the pseudonym ‘Stalin’ actually mean?
- Caped crusader
- Invincible
- Man of steel
- Ice man
Correct Answer

A. Man of steel

Explanation

As a young Communist he led daring bank robberies to fund the Party

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10.

What had Trotsky led during the Civil War?
- Red Army
- The Smurfs
- The Russian national football team
- A life of sin
Correct Answer

A. Red Army

Explanation

He had been the leader of the Red Army in the Civil War with his famous armoured train

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11.

Lenin was embalmed and kept in a mausoleum in which Moscow square?
- Indigo
- Duck egg blue
- Taupe
- Red
Correct Answer

A. Red

Explanation

Lenin was embalmed and entombed in a mausoleum in Red Square.

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12.

100,000 workers died building which canal?
- Grand Canal
- Belomor Canal
- Birmingham-Wolverhampton Canal
- Venice Canals
Correct Answer

A. Belomor Canal

Explanation

Slackers were held up to ridicule and those accused of sabotage would face show trials.

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13.

What is the Russian word for a collective farm?
- Sputnik
- Mir
- Kolkhoz
- Donaldson's Dairy
Correct Answer

A. Kolkhoz

Explanation

This was where the state would procure grain and livestock and divided 90% of it up amongst the nation (10% remained to feed the kolkhoz).

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14.

Who was murdered on 1/12/1934?
- Kirov
- Trotsky
- Stalin
- Ciara-ov (same joke!)
Correct Answer

A. Kirov

Explanation

It was the murder of the Party Leader in Leningrad (Sergei Kirov) in 1934 which led to the Great Purges. Even though he was a loyal friend of Stalin Kirov was seen by many as a possible rival (in 1934 only three people had voted against Kirov joining the Central Committee. 292 had voted against Stalin!) and he took a different view to Stalin on collectivization, wanting a softer approach from the government towards the peasantry. Stalin was an increasingly paranoid dictator and many believe he may have been responsible for the death of Kirov, although the evidence is inconclusive.

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15.

What type of trials were high ranking politicians given (often on trumped up charges with little evidence)?
- Show Trials
- Shew Trials
- Chow Trials
- Cho Trials
Correct Answer

A. Show Trials

Explanation

A series of show trials were held which saw high profile people accused before being (almost always) executed. Often people ‘confessed’ to crimes to save their families. However, the purges went beyond these high profile cases and impacted on every aspect of society.

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16.

What word did Marx use to describe the poor population?
- Heroic class
- Middle class
- Proletarian class
- Bourgeois class
Correct Answer

A. Proletarian class

Explanation

Marx used the term "Proletarian class" to describe the poor population. This term refers to the working class who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor in order to survive. Marx believed that the proletariat would eventually rise up against the bourgeoisie, the capitalist class, in a revolution to establish a classless society. The term "Proletarian class" reflects Marx's view of the working class as the driving force for social change.

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17.

What key role was Stalin given in 1922?
- Chief of Security
- Foriegn Secretary
- General Secretary
- President
Correct Answer

A. General Secretary

Explanation

He had become General Secretary of the Party in 1922. This was seen as a bit of a paperwork job which was not fashionable and which not many people, certainly Trotsky, wanted to do. Stalin however knew he had the perfect organizational skills for the role and immediately went about using the position to gain influence and gather information.

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18.

Which organization coordinated the Five Year Plans?
- Ecoplan
- Gosplan
- Stakhanoplan
- ECSC
Correct Answer

A. Gosplan

Explanation

There were three Five Year Plans in industry, all coordinated by Gosplan (the state planning organization set up by Lenin in 1921).

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19.

Which period of Soviet history did this lead to? The Great P________
- Pumpkin
- Pimple
- Purge
- Pig
Correct Answer

A. Purge

Explanation

What we do know though is that following Kirov’s assassination both Zinoviev and Kamenev (key left wing party members) were arrested and sentenced to long terms in prison. They had experienced prolonged psychological torture (simulated drowning, standing up with no sleep days on end, and some believe even hypnotism!) and had their families threatened

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20.

What did young Pavlik Morozov do?
- Inform on his daughter
- Inform on his father
- Inform on his teacher
- Inform on his informer
Correct Answer

A. Inform on his father

Explanation

Pavlik was 13 years old when he denounced his father for forging fake documents (the father was then given a 10 year heavy labour sentence before being executed) and Pavlik in turn was killed by his own family! As a result the Soviet government executed his uncle, grandfather, grandmother, cousin, and younger brother by firing squad and held Pavlik up as a martyr and role model. Statues of him were built and schools named in his honour and there were songs and operas written about him.

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21.

During the Civil War which ‘step back’ allowing some private enterprise did Lenin introduce?
- EPN
- NPE
- PEN
- NEP
Correct Answer

A. NEP

Explanation

Indeed, some private enterprise was allowed under the New Economic Policy (NEP). This was to prevent the nation from starving to death as many farmers were choosing to destroy their grain and cattle rather than allow it to be requisitioned by the state.

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22.

What kind of a school had he attended in Georgia?
- He did not attend school
- Ballet
- Nord Anglia
- Seminary
Correct Answer

A. Seminary

Explanation

His father ruled the family with violence and the young Stalin went to a church school and later a theological seminary in the hope of becoming a priest. Instead however he became gradually influenced by the ideas of Socialism.

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23.

Which illness did Trotsky unfortunately contract during this period?
- Malaria
- Coronavirus
- The common cold
- Pneumonia
Correct Answer

A. Malaria

Explanation

He contracted malaria which slowed him down at a time when he should have been working his hardest.

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24.

What was the name of Lenin’s wife, who had been offended by Stalin?
- Brenda
- Deborah
- Krupskaya
- Grace
Correct Answer

A. Krupskaya

Explanation

Despite the objections of his wife, Krupskaya, Lenin was embalmed and entombed in a mausoleum in Red Square. His pickled brain was taken away for special examination and deemed to be bigger than a normal brain! Thus began the cult of personality

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25.

Where did he then move to?
- Mexico
- Spain
- Lichtenstein
- Hungary
Correct Answer

A. Mexico

Explanation

He later moved to Mexico where he was killed by an assassin who put an icepick through his head (many believe at Stalin’s request).

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26.

Stalin backed down after many peasants destroyed their own produce rather than give it away. In which article did he write that it was okay for farmers to have small personal plots? Dizzy with _________.
- Communism
- Success
- Spinning
- Lizzy
Correct Answer

A. Success

Explanation

Although Stalin did back down a little in 1930 with his article Dizzy with Success (which allowed some to have a small garden plot) by 1932 62% of peasant land had been collectivized, rising to 93% in 1937.

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27.

What would you expect to find in a Stalinist MTS?
- Dead people
- Tractors
- Raisins
- Mr. T
Correct Answer

A. Tractors

Explanation

The creation of Motor Tractor Stations (MTS) soon became despised by the peasants as agents of central control.

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28.

What was the name of the secret police headquarters where they were often taken?
- Bendlerblock
- Stasi HQ
- Lubyanka
- I don't know - it is a secret HQ after all dummy!
Correct Answer

A. Lubyanka

Explanation

The correct answer is Lubyanka. Lubyanka was the name of the secret police headquarters where individuals were often taken.

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29.

What was Stalin’s full real name?
- Koba
- Warrenovich
- Josef Bronstein
- Josif Vissarionivich Djugashvili
Correct Answer

A. Josif Vissarionivich Djugashvili

Explanation

Joseph Vissarionivich Djugashvili was born in Georgia, the son of an alcoholic. By 1928 however he had become the most powerful man in the largest country on earth.

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30.

Which policy did Stalin follow?
- Socialism in one country
- Permanent revolution
- New economic policy
- Brexit
Correct Answer

A. Socialism in one country

Explanation

Stalin, despite all his organizational skill had a limited grasp of Marxist ideology and believed Russia should stabilize itself before worrying about other countries – this policy was known as Socialism in One Country. Trotsky on the other hand was an expert and spoke of Permanent Revolution, which was the idea that the whole world would inevitably light up into a Communist fire.

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31.

Which engineering project was the most famous achievement of the second Five Year Plan?
- Moscow Underground
- Seven Sisters
- Hotel Ukrainia
- Belomor Canal
Correct Answer

A. Moscow Underground

Explanation

The second Five Year Plan set higher targets for the production of consumer goods (1933-37) and its most famous achievement was the majestic Moscow underground. The third Five Year Plan (1938-) was geared even more directly towards arms production to counter the threat of Nazi Germany.

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32.

Name one large industrial centre which was built
- Kangqiao Bandao
- Stalingrad
- Magnitogorsk
- Petrograd
Correct Answer

A. Magnitogorsk

Explanation

All three plans set unrealistic targets. Although these were not achieved the results were nevertheless impressive and transformed backwards Russia into a modern economy. Large industrial centres such as Magnitogorsk and Gorki were built from scratch. In 1929 there were only 25 people living in Magnitogorsk. Three years later this number was 250,000 although conditions were notoriously poor.

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33.

Why were large industrial centres built east of the Ural Mountains?
- No reason - just luck
- There was a more skilled labour force there
- The land there was cheaper
- To keep them safe from possible Nazi attack
Correct Answer

A. To keep them safe from possible Nazi attack

Explanation

Industries such as these were built east of the Ural mountains which meant they were safer from an attack from the West. Overall, the period 1928-1941 saw a four-fold increase in the production of steel and a six-fold increase in coal production. Unemployment became almost zero and women made advances in the world of work (by 1937 women made up 40% of industrial workers compared to 28% ten years earlier).

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34.

What was ‘wet work?
- Titcher
- Toucher
- Torcher
- Torture
Correct Answer

A. Torture

Explanation

However, even the secret police itself was purged. In 1938 Genrikh Yagoda, the head of the NKVD, was shot. His replacement, Nikolai Yezhov, was known as the ‘bloody dwarf’ because of his bloodthirstiness and he oversaw the worst stages of the purges from 1936-38. Yezhov purged 3000 of his own personnel in an era which is called Yezhovschina and which only came to an end in 1938 when he himself was dismissed.

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35.

In what month of 1917 had Lenin seized power by storming the Winter Palace?
- January
- May
- October
- December
Correct Answer

A. October

Explanation

In October 1917 the Bolshevik Party seized power by storming the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg following the fall of Nicholas II’s Tsarist regime in February.

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36.

Complete this Stalin quotation: “One death is a tragedy - a million deaths is a _________”
- Joke
- Statistic
- Pleasure
- It is what it is
Correct Answer

A. Statistic

Explanation

The Great Purges is a term used to describe the wave of terror with which Stalin and his supporters removed enemies.

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37.

Lenin had called Stalin “grubost” in which written work? (his final words effectively)
- How to Be A Right Bolshy Bloke for Beginners Part I
- On War and Imperialism
- April Thesis
- Testament
Correct Answer

A. Testament

Explanation

On Lenin’s death Stalin, the failed Priest (remember?), quickly moved to make himself appear as Lenin’s natural successor. He spoke at the funeral in religious sounding language, thus beginning the cult of personality which made Lenin appear an almost God-like figure. Trotsky on the other hand missed the funeral and later gave the excuse that Stalin had not given him the date. Trotsky made another mistake also in refusing to publish Lenin’s last written work, known as Testament, in which he had described Stalin as ‘grubost’ or rude. This was because Lenin had criticized other members of the Politburo also and Trotsky and others were worried about Party unity.

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38.

Are Year 12 awesome?
- No
- Yes
Correct Answer

A. Yes
39.

Using this post Stalin was able to appoint his henchmen to which body?
- Comecon
- Comintern
- Politburo
- Cominform
Correct Answer

A. Politburo

Explanation

Stalin was able to use this position to promote cronies or friends to position of power within the Politburo and so quietly build up a support base. These people included names such as Molotov, Kalinin, and Voroshilov.

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40.

Which award was he given?
- Purple Heart
- OBE
- Iron Cross Second Class
- Hero of Socialist Labour
Correct Answer

A. Hero of Socialist Labour

Explanation

There were rewards for such work including a new flat and bigger rations. Education became free and compulsory for all and training schemes in colleges were promoted.

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41.

Who first used the phrase ‘cult of personality’ at the 20^th Party Congress in 1956?
- Stalin
- Khrushchev
- Brezhnev
- Millo
Correct Answer

A. Khrushchev

Explanation

Everything in the Soviet Union had to portray Stalin’s central role and his very image became an instrument of the Party leadership. Stalin would be presented to the population only through the most positive of lights in the form of songs, statues, posters, stories and much more besides and this increased sharply began after his 50th birthday celebrations (when an attempt was made to glorify the leader by projecting his face on to a cloud!).

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42.

Which actor often played Stalin in movies?
- Brad Pitt
- Mikhail Gelovani
- Laurence Olivier
- Ben Kingsley
Correct Answer

A. Mikhail Gelovani

Explanation

In cinema Stalin was often portrayed by the Georgian actor Mikhail Gelovani. For his sycophantic portrayals Gelovani was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and the Stalin Prize (three times). In total he portrayed Stalin in 13 different movies. He greatly resembled Stalin except for the fact that he was much taller. Due to his identification with playing Stalin however the actor was banned from taking on other roles and was not allowed to depict ‘mere mortals’, thus limiting his career.

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43.

What had his father’s profession been?
- Customs official
- Cobbler
- Footballer
- Internet programmer
Correct Answer

A. Cobbler

Explanation

Stalin's father beat him and from this he learned the lessons of power and force.

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44.

What was Trotsky’s real name?
- Josif Vissarionivich Djugashvili
- Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov
- Lev Bronstein
- Yakov Smirnov
Correct Answer

A. Lev Bronstein

Explanation

Stalin had some apparent major weaknesses to many and when Lenin died in 1924 it was Lev Bronstein, alias Trotsky, who was regarded as the heir apparent to the new Republic

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45.

What was a ‘Mir’?
- A space monkey's boat to travel through black holes
- A farm
- A city
- A commune
Correct Answer

A. A commune

Explanation

Each rural village was placed under the supervision of a Mir or commune made up of villager elders

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46.

Lenin once said “you cannot make a revolution wearing ______”
- Armani
- Odd socks
- A top hat
- White gloves
Correct Answer

A. White gloves

Explanation

Lenin had used terror even before Stalin came to power and he famously said “You cannot make a revolution wearing white gloves”. The use of terror, however, became an even greater part of Stalin’s Russia.

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47.

Which organisation was Stalin head of in WW2 which led the Russian army?
- Stavka
- Vatska
- Tiskva
- Tachuvska
Correct Answer

A. Stavka

Explanation

• Russian resistance began to get stronger. People rallied behind Stalin in defence of their Motherland. Stalin took personal charge of the army. He headed the Stavka, the highest defence organization of the country, and gave himself the name ‘Generalissimus’ and called for a “Great Patriotic War” and had a fight to the death mentality. Stalin was ruthless and created Order No. 270 which is often better known as the Katyn Massacre. The Russian government denied all knowledge of this until recently (1990) and this was the massacre of 25,000 Polish prisoners by the world’s most prolific executioner in history, M. Blokhin. So ruthless was Stalin that when his own son and member of the Red Army, Yakov, was captured, Stalin refused to allow him to be traded in a prison swap – responding instead that Germany had imprisoned many of his sons. Yakov was later found dead on barbed wire having committed suicide in a German concentration camp.

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48.

What was the word to describe the Tsarist secret police?
- NKVD
- Cheka
- Okhrana
- KGB
Correct Answer

A. Okhrana

Explanation

Stalin was arrested six times between 1902-13 for revolutionary activity

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49.

What phrase is used to describe the fact that the countrside could not provide enough food for the cities? The ___________ crisis.
- Glue
- Scissor
- Paper
- Protractor
Correct Answer

A. Scissor

Explanation

The huge growth being experienced in cities was all well and good – but it had to be sustainable. And this could only happen if the new growing cities were well fed by the countryside. Therefore an increase in agricultural productivity was required. This was known as the ‘scissor crisis’.

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