Photo AI
3 (a) How useful are Sources B and C for an enquiry into the achievements of the Five-Year Plans? Explain your answer, using Sources B and C and your knowledge of the historical context - Edexcel - GCSE History - Question 3 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 3
3 (a) How useful are Sources B and C for an enquiry into the achievements of the Five-Year Plans? Explain your answer, using Sources B and C and your knowledge of t... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:3 (a) How useful are Sources B and C for an enquiry into the achievements of the Five-Year Plans? Explain your answer, using Sources B and C and your knowledge of the historical context - Edexcel - GCSE History - Question 3 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
How useful are Sources B and C for an enquiry into the achievements of the Five-Year Plans?
Answer
Sources B and C provide valuable insights into the achievements of the Five-Year Plans.
Source B: This source details a famous project during the First Five-Year Plan and evaluates its successes. The factory built during this period significantly contributed to industrial output, showcasing the planned economic growth. However, it is essential to consider the source's origin and possible bias, as it may emphasize successes while downplaying failures.
Source C: This source offers a perspective on infrastructural achievements, illustrating the scale and ambition of the Five-Year Plans. While it provides a statistical analysis of production, historical context indicates that these figures may have been inflated to showcase the regime's success.
Utilizing historical context, we understand that such sources should be critically analyzed. Sources may reflect propaganda, showing the government in a favorable light while ignoring significant challenges faced, such as resource shortages and labor discontent.
Step 2
What is the main difference between these views?
Answer
Interpretation 1 argues that the Five-Year Plans had significant successes, emphasizing the quantity of industrial output and economic growth, while Interpretation 2 suggests that these successes came at a substantial human cost, highlighting issues of worker exploitation and inefficiencies.
The main difference lies in the emphasis on outcomes versus the methods used to achieve them. Interpretation 1 presents a more optimistic view, whereas Interpretation 2 is critical, advocating for a balanced assessment of achievements and failures.
Step 3
Suggest one reason why Interpretations 1 and 2 give different views about the achievements of the Five-Year Plans.
Answer
One reason for the differing views is the varying emphasis placed on the sources of information used. Interpretation 1 relies heavily on official government statistics and narratives that celebrate industrial successes, while Interpretation 2 incorporates testimonies and reports that reveal the adverse impacts of rapid industrialization. This difference in source selection leads to contrasting conclusions about the overall effectiveness of the Five-Year Plans.
Step 4
How far do you agree with Interpretation 2 about the achievements of the Five-Year Plans?
Answer
Overall, I agree with Interpretation 2's critical view of the Five-Year Plans. While it is undeniable that there were measurable achievements, such as increased industrial output, these came with severe repercussions for the working class, including harsh labor conditions and limited personal freedoms.
Interpretation 2 effectively highlights that the economic advancements were often superficial, underpinned by the exploitation of workers. Historical evidence from reports of labor strikes and poor working conditions aligns with this viewpoint. Thus, while the plans had objectives that were ambitious and strategically sound, the methods employed raised ethical concerns. An evaluation must consider these human costs when assessing the genuine success of the Five-Year Plans.