Sixth Five-Year Plan (Soviet Union)

Sixth Five-Year Plan (Soviet Union). The Sixth Five-Year Plan was an economic development program intended to guide the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1960. Formulated during a period of political transition following the death of Joseph Stalin, the plan aimed to accelerate industrial growth, particularly in heavy industry and consumer goods, while also addressing agricultural shortcomings. It was ultimately abandoned in 1957, superseded by a new, more ambitious long-term strategy.

Background and Development

The plan was developed in the context of the post-Stalin era, a period known as the Khrushchev Thaw, under the leadership of First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev. Its drafting by the state planning committee, Gosplan, was influenced by the critiques of Stalinist economic priorities outlined at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This congress, famous for Khrushchev's Secret Speech, denounced the excesses of the Stalinist period and called for a shift towards improving living standards. The plan was formally approved by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956, coinciding with international events like the Suez Crisis and rising tensions during the Cold War. The development process was marked by debates between traditional planners and reformers advocating for greater decentralization and focus on consumer goods.

Main Goals and Targets

The primary objectives were to maintain the Soviet Union's industrial might while beginning a "catch-up" campaign in consumer sectors. Key industrial targets included massive increases in the production of pig iron, steel, oil, and electricity, with a particular emphasis on developing industries in Siberia and the Russian Far East. A major agricultural goal, championed by Khrushchev, was the Virgin Lands campaign, aimed at dramatically expanding grain cultivation in Kazakhstan and southwestern Siberia. The plan also set ambitious targets for housing construction, aiming to alleviate the severe shortage inherited from the war years, and called for significant growth in the output of textiles, appliances, and other consumer items to improve the standard of living for the Soviet people.

Implementation and Economic Performance

Initial implementation in 1956 saw some successes, particularly in heavy industrial output and the early phases of the Virgin Lands campaign. Major projects like the expansion of the Magnitogorsk steelworks and the development of the Kuznetsk Basin coalfields progressed. However, the plan quickly encountered systemic problems. The Soviet economy remained overly centralized and rigid, hindering efficient resource allocation. The ambitious Virgin Lands campaign began to face ecological and logistical challenges, including soil erosion and poor infrastructure. By 1957, it became clear to the Politburo that the plan's targets were overly optimistic and that a fundamental reorganization was needed, leading to its official abandonment.

Shortcomings and Criticisms

The plan was criticized for its inherent contradictions and impracticality. It attempted to simultaneously boost heavy industry, agriculture, and consumer goods without a coherent strategy for allocating scarce resources. The continued priority given to the military-industrial complex diverted investment from other sectors. Internally, figures like Anastas Mikoyan and Alexei Kosygin questioned its feasibility. The Virgin Lands campaign, while initially successful, was later criticized for its unsustainable approach and environmental damage. Furthermore, the plan failed to address deep-seated inefficiencies within the collective farm system and the overall lack of economic incentives, problems that would plague the Soviet economy for decades.

Legacy and Subsequent Plans

The abrupt termination of the Sixth Five-Year Plan marked a significant moment in Soviet economic history, demonstrating the limitations of rigid central planning. Its failure directly led to its replacement by the Seven-Year Plan (1959–1965), which was presented as a more integrated and realistic long-term program. The experience informed later, though ultimately unsuccessful, economic reform attempts under Alexei Kosygin in the 1960s. The plan's legacy is one of transition, highlighting the ongoing struggle of the Soviet Union to reform its Stalinist economic model and balance military power with domestic welfare during the Cold War.

Category:Five-year plans of the Soviet Union Category:1956 in the Soviet Union Category:1957 in the Soviet Union Category:Economic history of the Soviet Union