Stalin's regime brought about far-reaching economic and social change. DEPTH STUDY C: RUSSIA, 1905–41

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] 'Coal, iron and oil production doubled.'
2. [1-4] 'Steel increased by 50%.'
3. [1-4] 'Electricity production increased by 250%.'
4. [1-4] 'A modern chemical industry was created.'
5. [1-4] 'New industrial cities were built.'
6. [1-4] 'New dams and hydro-electric power fed industry's energy requirements.'
7. [1-4] 'The USSR's manufacturing output overtook Britain's and Germany's in 1932.'
8. [2-3] 'They were a source of extra labour.'
9. [2-3] 'They were as useful as workers as men were.'
10. [2-3] 'Women were as educated as men.'
11. [2-3] 'Policies were put in place so that women could work and have their children cared for.'
12. [2-3] 'Women were crucial to increasing the birth rate.'
13. [4-5] 'Women were important to Stalin's plans for the Soviet Union because they could become workers in the soviet state and would increase the workforce. Stalin put policies in place which made it easier for women to go to work. For instance, they were given free healthcare and many workplaces had creches so children could be looked after while women worked. Educational opportunities were improved so that women could become doctors and engineers.'
14. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons (e.g., expanding the workforce and increasing birth rates).
15. [2-3] 'Stalin saw the kulaks as a threat.'
16. [2-3] 'There was a famine in the 1930s and millions of people died.'
17. [2-3] 'The peasants did not want to give their crops to the state so they destroyed them.'
18. [2-3] 'The peasants did not know how to use the new machinery they were given in the kolkhoz.'
19. [2-3] 'Russia continued to export grain even though people were starving.'
20. [2-3] 'Collectivisation meant many people left the countryside to become workers in the towns.'
21. [4-6] 'Collectivisation was a disaster. Many peasants were against the idea. They destroyed their crops and livestock rather than give them to the state and this helped to create a famine in the early 1930s which killed millions of people.'
22. [4-6] 'However, Stalin would have argued that collectivisation wasn't a disaster. He used it to get rid of the kulaks who were the wealthy peasants. Stalin disliked them as they were often opposed to Communist ideology. By removing the kulaks, Stalin thought he had removed a potential threat and therefore he would see collectivisation as a success.'
23. [7-9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides (A L4 answer will have a minimum of three explanations (2 on one side; 1 on the other). Fuller explanation of one issue to be given two marks. An answer which only has one explanation on one side of the argument cannot be awarded more than 8.)
24. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far' (As Level 4 plus evaluation.)