Assess the Impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian People

By 1929, Stalin had become sole leader of Russia.
He said, "We are between 50 and 100 years behind the west. We must make good this difference in 10 years or go under."
He wanted things to change in Russia quickly and so he brought up the five year plans, these were to modernise the Russian economy. He also brought up the idea of collectivisation. This was to modernise Russian agriculture.
These two things would transform Russia. Stalin had "borrowed" Trotsky's ideas, which was very ironic.
Stalin introduced the five year plans because he wanted to industrialise the Soviet Union, he felt it was matter of life or death. If his plans failed he believed the Soviet Union's enemies would crush it. He wanted rapid industrialisation.…