In 1929, the First Five-Year Plan was in its second year and was continuing to centralize the state. This was an important element with changes occurring within this year due to the improvements of productivity of labor, industrial construction, and agricultural development. While these changes were taking the economy by storm, economists “were faced with the unprecedented and incredibly complicated task of drafting a plan to transform the entire economic structure of the country” (soviethistory). This forced the economists to create a strategic plan that would help the country as a whole in order to produce a market that would benefit the state. This is a significant event to happen in 1929 because in a time where Bolsheviks’ rule was rising, political and economic dynamics were strengthening and forcing reassessments for the government of what goals are attainable and what is not, in terms of where the country will be for years to come.
As a whole, the 1920s experienced a culture shock because of the new policies being established, as well as the nature of the country changing. Politically, economically, and socially, the country was being faced with many challenges that played a central role in the Stalinist upheavals that were about to begin (Freeze, 340). As 1929 came to an end, the strategies that were implemented in order to create a “new world-view” changed from indoctrination to imposition (Freeze, 340). This is an important shift in politics because it created a cultural revolution that used Stalinism as it’s foundation.
http://soviethistory.msu.edu/1929-2/year-of-great-change/
In Between the Cracks of the Soviet Union 
You’re certainly right that the Soviet Union experienced an extreme culture shock during the 1920s. Do you have any intersting/specific examples you could possibly add into the post?
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I thought your post brought up an interesting topic of just how quickly the Soviet Union was attempting to change their entire economy. This was a necessity if they were going to keep the workers happy and full, even though they were generally behind many other great powers at the time. Interesting material!
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Great job! I really enjoyed reading your post. I especially liked how you used the phrase culture shock to refer to how the Russians felt toward their own culture at the time. I had never considered the possibility of being shocked by ones own culture, but in this situation it totally makes sense. The changes occurring were so drastic that the transformation was a shock to the people. I wonder if there are any examples in US history where a similar experience has happened?
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I enjoyed your post. You definitely talked about the extreme amount of change that was prevalent during the period. I think I would have liked to see more info on the 5 year plan though.
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I completely agree with your post. There was a culture shock in the 1920s and I don’t think the government really knew what to do in concern of what was best for the country because what was best for the country was not necessarily what was best for all. There was so much change trying to occur and as you said it lead to the Stalinist upheavals that followed.
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You’ve got a great starting point for this post, and the image is excellent! Did you come across any examples to illustrate the case (for or against “the Great Turn”)?
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