Reasons for five year plan

Economic - catching up with the West.

Staling wanted a USSR that was powerful. To do this he had to modernize the USSR's economy by a programme of RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION. This means developing industry to such an extent that a country which mainly depends on agriculture of farming is changed into one which mostly depends on industry. Besides, he felt that USSR was at least 50 years behind the advanced countries. He aimed to catch up with and surpassed them within ten years.
Agriculturally, he wanted to modernize farming so that it would be more efficient in producing enough food to support an expanding urban workforce. In addition, he hoped that surpluses in the agricultural sector could be sold overseas and the money used for investment in industry for instance, to buy industrial machinery for the factories.
* Through the five year plan, it was hoped that rapid industrialization could help USSR recover from the effects of the civil war and regain confidence of the workers and peasants whom the regime badly needed.



Military reason- to strengthen USSR defence in face of a hostile world.

Stalin felt it was necessary to catch up with the west because Russia was thereatened by the west and surrounding countries such as Iran, Romania, Finland which hated communism. To survive an attack from the West, the USSR had to rapidly expand its heavy industries, coal iron steel power. This would allow the USSR to expand and strengthen its military. In addition, being excluded from the League of Nations, also made it difficult for USSR as it was the only communist country in the world.
*To ensure its survival a a communist country amidst all the hostilities, it was only sensible for Stalin to build up an industry that was self-sufficient and the output could also be channeled to beed up its army so that Russia could defend themselves from any threats.


To increase support for the government, establish his dictatorship and get rid of rich peasants.
Rapid industrialization would also allow Stalin to obtain support for the government because the masses were the Communists' greatest supporters. Secondly, it would eliminate any remaining opposition to the Communists; in particular get rid of rich paesants, the kulaks.
*This would ensure the formation of a classless society as industrialization would transform USSR into a communist country.