Lecture 21 : Industrialization in Kazakhstan

The objective of the lectures: to show the ways of the industrialization in Kazakhstan. First plants and factories of the industrialization. Peculiarities and negative consequences of the industrialization. The results of the first five-year plan.

Outline of the lecture:

1. XIV Congress of All-Union CP (b) and course on industrialization.

2. Two ways of industrialization in Kazakhstan.

3. Peculiarities and negative tendencies of industrialization.

In December 1925 XIV Congress of All-Union CP(b) was held, which took course on industrialization. Transition from feudalism to socialism, escape capitalism, liquidation of the technical-economic backwardness, changing of the colonial structure of the economy in the Krai and the industry first of all, in the forming of the national working class was the main aim of industrialization.

In the second half of the 20-s in Kazakhstan the restoration of the industry was finished, but the industrial level of the Republic was extremely low. The agriculture was dominated in the economy, in 1928 it had 84,4% the whole gross output, 90% of the population lived in the rural area.

Industrialization in Kazakhstan began from the development of extractive industry. In the end of 20-s beg.30-s scientific expeditions for exploration of natural resources worked in Kazakhstan: in 1928-1929 – 50, 1931 – 140.

Chimkent lead factory, Balkhash copper-smelting works, Achisai polimetal plant, Zhezkazgan copper-smelting works, Ust-Kamenogorsk lead-zinc plant were biggest non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises not only in Kazakhstan, but in the USSR.

Ferrous industry developed. 90% of coal extracted in Karaganda, which became third coal base in the USSR after Donbass and Kuzbass.

Kazakhstan took third place for extraction of oil after Russia and Azerbaijan.

Chemical industry developed: Chimkent pharmacological factory was restored. In 1939 Aktubinsk chemical plant was built, which produced phosphorus fertilizers.

The industrialization developed transport, especially railways. In 1928-1940 railways increased on 50% and reached 6581 km. The building of Turkestan-Siberian railway, which joined Siberia with Middle Asia (distance 1445 km) began in April 1927 and finished on April 25, 1930.

II. In 1925-1933 F. Goloshchekin was a leader of Kazkraikom and policy of “Small October” was realized by him. It was one of the ways of industrialization and collectivization in Kazakhstan. According his point of view Kazakhstan should been develop as raw material region, the extractive industry were primarily developed. The industrialization of Kazakhstan, as of the whole country, was realized by commanding, administrative methods with absolute subordination to the center. The center defined the priorities in the development of the economy of Kazakhstan, the location of the enterprises, then economy ties.

S. Sadvakasov one of the famous politicians didn’t support this policy. He offered the complex development of industry, because Kazakhstan had natural resources and own working forces (among the Kazakhs). He suggested developing not only extractive industry, but the process industries too. He didn’t agree with the policy mass migration of workers from other regions of the USSR and high skill workers should been prepare in Kazakhstan.

Negative consequences of industrialization:

1. Extractive direction of industry.

2. The enterprise for remake of oil, gas, non-ferrous metals didn’t build. Machine-building, automobile-building branches absent in Kazakhstan.

3. Light and food industries didn’t develop, that’s why goods (clothes, shoes, and food) were imported from other republics and states.

4. Settlers from Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia and other regions migrated to Kazakhstan. In 1928-1939 the population of Kazakhstan increased on 1.8 mln people. In the result of starvation of 20-s and 30-s, migration processes, share of Kazakhs reduced till 38% in 1939.