Gulag - the basis of the Soviet economy in the Stalin period?
One of the black myths that defames the Soviet period Stories Fatherland is the view that Stalin's industrialization was carried out by GULAG prisoners and the camp system was the basis of the Soviet economy of the USSR during the reign of Stalin. The GULAG myth was so inflated during the years of perestroika and the “dashing 1990” that any attempts to present material that refutes this myth were literally made hostile. Alexander Solzhenitsyn with his fake "GULAG Archipelago" is still the untouchable idol of the Russian intelligentsia, adopted at the official level.
However, the reality is far from the conjectures of the authors who develop anti-Soviet and anti-Russian myths. To begin with, it should be noted that the very idea of using prison labor, as well as the practical implementation of this idea, has a long history and cannot be called a feature of Soviet history alone. The history of almost all states of the planet, and of the Russian Empire, is given quite a number of examples of the large-scale use of prison labor. The basic principles of the punitive system - the obligation of labor for prisoners, the system of credits, the involvement of convicts for the economic development of the suburbs, already existed in the Russian Empire.
In the period from 1917 to 1929, prison labor in the Soviet Union was used poorly. During this period, the state simply did not need to attract large numbers of convicts to work. The country was going through a period of economic recovery of the 1913 level of the year, there was no need to introduce additional capacity, to expand the resource base of industry and additional agricultural products. Unskilled labor of prisoners could be used for mass work, such as construction, agricultural, mining. But in the 1920s, there was no need for large-scale works of this kind. At the same time, the state was experiencing a shortage of funds; therefore, it was looking for new forms of organizing forced labor in the correctional system that could bring profit.
The formation of the Gulag (General Directorate of Correctional Labor Camps, labor settlements and places of detention) was the result of a number of economic and social factors that accompanied the process of forced industrialization and collectivization. The Soviet government wanted to achieve maximum savings for the maintenance of prisoners at the expense of their own labor. At the same time, it became necessary to expand the resource base, attract additional labor resources for the implementation of important projects in sparsely populated or uninhabited areas, their economic development and settlement.
Major milestones in the creation of the Gulag:
- Resolution of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR from 26 March 1928, “On punitive policy and the state of places of detention”. This document directed the bodies of execution of punishment to the implementation of tasks of an economic nature;
- 13 of May 1929 of the year on the basis of proposals of the OGPU, People's Commissariat of Justice and Internal Affairs of the RSFSR issued a resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). It marked the beginning of a decisive transformation of the penitentiary system. It was proposed to switch to a system of mass use of labor of criminal prisoners (with their receiving wages), who had a sentence of not three years. On the basis of the decision of the Politburo, a special commission was created consisting of People's Commissar of Justice of the RSFSR Nikolai Yanson, deputy chairman of the OGPU Heinrich Yagoda, prosecutor of the RSFSR Nikolai Krylenko, People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the RSFSR Vladimir Tolmachyov and People's Commissar of Labor Nikolai Uglanov. Almost immediately, the principle of remuneration of prisoners was adopted, which immediately flutters the idea of “slave labor”.
- 23 May 1939 was adopted by the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b), which approved the decision on a radical restructuring of the criminal correctional system. According to him, prisoners who had terms of imprisonment for more than three years were transferred to correctional labor camps. Those who had a shorter time remained under the authority of the NKVD. Prisons ceased to be places of detention and began to serve only as investigative isolators and transfer points. The task of organizing new camps was assigned to the OGPU. The essence of the reform of the criminal correctional system of the USSR was that in the area of the correctional function, prison methods were replaced by methods of outside influence by organizing work in camps isolated on a geographical basis, in compliance with the strict regime. In the economic sphere, prisoners had to work in remote areas, where, due to the remoteness or difficulty of work, there is a shortage of labor. The camps were supposed to be pioneers of settling new areas. In addition, Yagoda proposed a number of administrative and economic assistance measures to the liberated ones in order to encourage them to remain in remote regions of the USSR and settle in the outskirts.
On the basis of the decisions of the Political Bureau of 17 in July, 1929 of SNK adopted a resolution “On the use of labor of criminal prisoners”, which obliged the OGPU and other related departments to urgently develop a set of measures for the colonization of the developed areas. To implement this plan were developed several main principles. Prisoners who deserved their behavior and distinguished themselves at work received the right to a free settlement. Those deprived by the court of the right of free choice of residence and who had served their sentences were left to settle in the area and were allocated land.
At the end of 1929, all labor camps (ITL) were transferred to self-sufficiency and exempted from income tax and trade tax on turnover. This relieved the state of the burden of maintaining prisoners. 7 April 1930 was issued by the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR "Regulations on corrective labor camps". 25 On April 1930, by order of the OGPU No. 130 / 63, was organized by the Office of the OGPU camps (ULAG), since November 1930, it has been called the Gulag. Its main task was not the “extermination of the people,” as follows from the black myth of the Gulag, but the economic development of the outlying regions of the USSR.
In 1933, the new Corrective Labor Code of the RSFSR was adopted, which enshrined the principle of the labor of prisoners. In addition, the Code enshrines the principle of compulsory payment for the work performed. Earlier in the ITL provision it was noted that all convicts receive a food ration in accordance with the nature of the work performed. General content and all services provided free of charge. The most important method of increasing the labor productivity of prisoners was the test system: the day of work that exceeded the established standard was counted as one and a half to two calendar days of the term, and for especially hard work - for three. As a result, the sentence could be significantly reduced.
The economic role of the Gulag in the implementation of industrialization plans
One of the most important areas of economic activity for ITL was the construction of railways. In 1920, a number of major problems emerged in the field of transport communications, which adversely affected the state’s defense capability. The transport system could not cope with the ever-increasing growth of freight traffic, and this jeopardized the implementation of not only economic development programs, but also an increase in its safety. The state was not able to quickly transfer significant material, demographic resources, troops (this problem existed in the Russian Empire and became one of the prerequisites that led to the defeat in the Russian-Japanese war).
That is why in the years of the first five-year plan large transport projects were implemented, above all, railways, which had economic and military-strategic importance. Four iron and two railless roads were built. In 1930, the construction of the 29-kilometer branch to the Khibiny Apatity was completed, work began on the construction of the 275-kilometer Syktyvkar-Pinega railway. In the Far Eastern Territory, the OGPU organized the construction of the 82-kilometer railway line Pashennaya-Bukachachi, on the Trans-Baikal railway in Eastern Siberia - the 120 kilometer section of the Tomsk-Yeniseisk railway. Syktyvkar, Kem and Ukhta were connected by 313 and 208 km paths. The labor of prisoners was used in those areas where the local population was practically absent or could not be brought to the main work. These construction projects were aimed at creating an economic base in the marginal, undeveloped and strategically important regions of the country (the main direction of the ITL activity).
The construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal, which was built between the 1931 and 1933 years, was the most popular construction project among the various whistleblowers of the Stalin era. However, the implementation of this project was directly related to the security of the Soviet Union. For the first time, the question of building a canal in Soviet Russia was raised after the October revolution of 1917. The idea arose much earlier, the plan for building a navigable canal belonged to Tsar Peter and appeared during the Northern War with Sweden. In the 19 century, four canal construction projects were developed: in 1800, the project of F.P. Devolan, 1835, the project of Count A.H. Benkendorf, 1857, the Adjutant Loshkaryov, and 1900, Professor Timanov (they were not implemented due to the high cost). In 1918, the Council of the National Economy of the North created a plan for the development of the region’s transport system. This plan included the construction of the White Sea-Ob railway and the Onega-White Sea Canal. These communications were supposed to provide economic ties between the North-West industrial region and Siberia, to become the basis for the development of the Ukhto-Pechersk oil-bearing and Kola mining regions. However, during the Civil War and intervention, and then the restoration of the country, these plans were postponed.
In 1930, the USSR Council of Labor and Defense returned to the question of building a canal, which was connected with the country's security problem - neighboring Finland then pursued anti-Soviet policies and counted on the support of other Western states in the struggle against Soviet Russia. In addition, the biological resources of the USSR in the North were then tirelessly plundered by a number of Western powers, especially Norway stood out. There was nothing to oppose this fishing piracy of the USSR, since the Northern fleet not yet (Northern Fleet was created in 1933).
The channel was to become a strategic target and solve a whole range of tasks:
- to increase the possibilities for the protection of fisheries and domestic trade routes between separate points of the coast and main waterways that go inland. This task was solved by the possibility of the transfer of warships and submarines from the Baltic Sea to White.
- it became possible for the Soviet Naval forces to act on the enemy’s sea lanes, impair maritime trade and put pressure on the entire mode of commercial navigation in the North Sea and the East Atlantic;
- maintaining communications with the outside world. Considering the fact that, if desired, the enemy could easily block the Baltic and Black Seas, the presence of a free exit through the North acquired strategic importance in wartime;
- the emergence of a deterrent to potential adversaries. For Finland, which directly threatened the Soviet Northwest, the presence of a channel was a strong factor of pressure on its foreign policy;
- increased opportunities for the Red Army to interact with the naval forces on the coast and in the areas of inland lakes and rivers associated with the White Sea-Baltic system;
- it became possible to quickly transfer in wartime individual ships and entire military units from one theater of action to another;
- increased opportunities for evacuation into the country;
- in the field of economics: Leningrad and its sea routes to the West were connected with the Arkhangelsk, the White Sea ports and the coast of the Kola Peninsula, and via the Northern Sea Route - with Siberia and the Far East. Appeared exit from the Baltic to the Arctic Ocean and through it with all the ports of the oceans. The North was provided with the Mariinsky water system, and through it with the interior of the country with access to the Caspian and Black Seas (after the completion of the Volga-Don Canal). Opportunities for construction on the dams of hydroelectric stations for obtaining sources of cheap energy appeared. All sectors of the national economy of the North of the USSR could be developed on a cheap energy base. There was a possibility of a more complete use of raw materials, including those still intact.
3 June 1930, the USSR STO decree initiated the construction of this channel. The resolution noted the possibility of attracting labor to prisoners. Already on 2 on August 1933, by the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, the White Sea-Baltic Canal was recorded as one of the existing waterways of the Soviet Union. 128 hydraulic structures were built on the canal route: 49 dams and 33 artificial canals, 19 locks, 15 dams and 12 drain points. 21 million cubic meters of soil were selected, 390 thousand cubic meters of concrete and 921 thousand cubic meters of row structures were laid. The total cost of the work was estimated at 101,3 million rubles.
The initial participation of prisoners in construction was measured by the total 600 people who were used in survey parties. By the middle of 1931, the number of prisoners involved rose to 10 thousand. Initially, the labor resources for the work were supplied by the Solovetsky ITL, then the Solovetsky and Karelo-Murmansk camps of the OGPU. In September, 1931 of the year, the entire personnel of the Syzran ITL was sent to Belomorstroy. In the middle of November, the White Sea-Baltic ITL was formed on the basis of these ITLs. The average annual number of prisoners employed was 1931 thousand. The peak of work on the channel fell on the autumn of the year 64,1, at this time the number of prisoners reached the maximum value - 1932 thousand people. Mortality in the White Sea-Baltic ITL amounted to: in 125 year - 1931 convicts (1438% of the average annual number of prisoners), in 2,24 year - 1932 people (2010%), in 2,03 year - 1933 prisoners (8870%). This was due to the fact that the second half of 10,56, the largest amount of hard work. In addition, the food situation in the country (1932-1932 hunger) worsened in the country in 1932, which affected the nutrition of prisoners and the condition of the arriving replenishment. This can be clearly seen from the sharply dropped monthly nutritional standards for 1933-1932 years: the flour rate fell from 1933 kg per person in 23,5 year to 1932 kg in 17,17 g .; cereals from 1933 to 5,75 kg; pasta from 2,25 to 0,5 kg; vegetable oil from 0,4 to 1 liters; sugar from 0,3 to 0,95 kg, etc.
But even in these conditions, those who fulfilled and overfulfilled the norms received reinforced grain rations - up to 1200 g, the so-called. premium dish and cash reward. In addition, those who over-fulfilled the production standards received a credit of three working days for five calendar days of the term (for drummers, the test went on a day in two). Naturally, otherwise they used punishment in the form of cuts in rations, cancellation of set-off, transfer to subdivisions of the enhanced regime. It is necessary to take into account that these people were not at the resort, but were serving sentences for crimes. At the same time, to call the conditions of detention of prisoners cruel or brutal - there is no reason. The country was in a difficult transition period, therefore the position of prisoners was adequate to the position of the state.
The value of the channel for the country was enormous. In particular, the transfer of ships from Leningrad to Arkhangelsk was reduced from 17 to 4 days. Now the path ran through Soviet territory, which made it possible to freely create a powerful naval grouping in the North of Russia. In addition, the 17-day transition from the Baltic around Scandinavia, without intermediate bases, where it was possible to replenish stocks, to repair, was impossible for ships of medium and small displacement. The great military and strategic importance of the White Sea-Baltic Canal has also led to a huge positive economic effect.
In the 1920 and the beginning of the 1930 in the White Sea, there were "fish" and "seals" of war with Norway and England. Every spring, hundreds of British and Norwegian fishing vessels entered the White Sea and, taking advantage of the insignificance of the Soviet Naval Forces and the Border Guard Service, looted the biological resources of the Soviet Union. Attempts by the Soviet border guard to stop this activity immediately came across the effects of Western warships that cruised in these waters. The Norwegians and the British sent their squadrons to these waters every season. In 1929-1930 it came even to the artillery fire. Unsolicited "guests" fired on Soviet territory. After the naval ships and submarines were transferred to the North along the channel and the Northern Flotilla was created, the Norwegian-British ships disappeared from Soviet territory. From 1933 of the year to the summer of 1941, the White Sea-Baltic Channel carried out 6 operations for the transfer of squadron destroyers, 2 operations for the transfer of patrol ships and 9 for submarine operations. In addition, three combat units — the destroyers Stalin and Voikov, the submarine U-404 — were transferred to the Pacific Fleet along the Northern Sea Route. During this period, the canal deployed to the Northern Fleet (from 11 in May 1937, the Northern Fleet) 10 destroyer squadrons, 3 patrol and 26 submarines.
The enemies of the USSR understood perfectly well the strategic importance of the White Sea-Baltic Canal. In the 1940 year, when during the Soviet-Finnish war, the Anglo-French military command was planning a military operation against the Soviet Union, Admiral Darlan insisted on capturing the structure intact, considering it the key to the capture of Leningrad. They took into account in their plans the importance of the canal and the Finnish military, their operational plans provided for its seizure or disabling of the main structures. According to the Finns, the White Sea-Baltic Canal was the main support of the USSR in Karelia. Great importance attached channel and the German military.
To be continued ...
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