Draft:Economy of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

The economy of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

The economy of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was an integral part of the Soviet Union's economic system, operating within Kazakhstan's borders.The economy of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) referred to the economic system and activities within the territory of Kazakhstan during its time as a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, from 1936 to 1991. It was largely characterized by centralized planning and state ownership of the means of production, adhering to the principles of socialism. Key sectors of the economy included agriculture, industry, and natural resource extraction, with an emphasis on fulfilling production quotas set by central planning authorities. Agriculture played a significant role, with both collective and state farms cultivating crops and raising livestock. Industrial development focused on sectors such as metallurgy, chemical production, machinery, and energy. The economy of the Kazakh SSR was integrated into the larger Soviet economic system, with resources and goods exchanged among other Soviet republics.

The Economy of the Kazakh SSR during the Interwar Period

During the interwar period, the economy of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic experienced significant changes as part of the Soviet Union's broader economic strategy. Initially, the New Economic Policy in the 1920s allowed limited private enterprise and market activities. However, by the late 1920s, Stalin's policies of forced collectivization and rapid industrialization dramatically altered the economic landscape.

Collectivization aimed to consolidate individual peasant farms into large, state-controlled collective farms and state farms. This policy disrupted traditional agricultural practices, leading to a devastating famine from 1930 to 1933 that caused approximately 1.5 million deaths in Kazakhstan. Despite these hardships, the period also saw the establishment of key industrial enterprises, particularly in mining and metallurgy, such as the development of the Karaganda coal basin and metallurgical plants in Temirtau.

Geological Structure and Mineral Resources

The core of Kazakhstan's geological structure is formed by the Kazakhstania and Siberian cratons, which date back over 540 million years to the Precambrian eon. Surrounding these cratons are extensive Paleozoic fold belts, such as the Ural Mountains to the west and the Tien Shan Mountains to the south. These belts consist of complexly deformed sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks, indicative of significant tectonic activity.

Large sedimentary basins, including the Caspian Basin in the west and the Turgai Basin in the central part of the country, dominate Kazakhstan's geological landscape. These basins, filled with thick sequences of sedimentary rocks, are key sites for hydrocarbon reserves. The country's geological history also includes extensive Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary covers, particularly in the central and eastern regions, contributing to the complexity of Kazakhstan's geology.

Kazakhstan is rich in mineral resources, including oil and natural gas primarily extracted from the Caspian Basin. It is also the world's largest producer of uranium, with extensive deposits in the Chu-Sarysu and Syrdarya basins. Other significant minerals include chromium, copper, lead, zinc, coal, iron ore, and gold, found in various regions such as the Kempirsai massif, Zhezkazgan, Balkhash, Altai, Karatau, Karaganda, and Ekibastuz.

Industry

In 1972, there were more than 23 thousand industrial enterprises and productions on the territory of the Kazakh SSR, including over 2 thousand large ones. In the past, the economy of the Kazakh SSR was actively developing in industries related to the extraction and processing of non-ferrous metals, coal, and the production of chemical products and mechanical engineering. Significant successes have been achieved in light industry and food industry. Was noted the development of new industries such as ferrous metallurgy, oil production and refining, power generation, textile industry etc.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy

Non-ferrous metallurgy is the leading industry in the economy of the Kazakh SSR, represented by copper, lead, zinc, titanium, magnesium, also the production of rare and precious metals. The region has mastered the production of more than 30 chemical elements, and it took one of the leading places in the USSR in the production of lead, zinc and copper. Industrial enterprises were located in various areas, such as the Karaganda region and Eastern Kazakhstan. Moreover, ferrous metallurgy was developing, the main part of which was created after the World War 2.

List of enterprises:

• Balkhash Mining and Metallurgical Plant
• Dzhezkazgan Mining and Metallurgical Plant
• Irtysh copper smelter (in the village of Glubokoe)
• Copper-chemical plant based on the Nikolaevsky polymetallic ore deposit
• Dzhezkazgan Mining and Metallurgical Combine
• Lead-zinc plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk
• Polymetallic plant in Leninogorsk
• Temirtau Metallurgical Plant
• Karaganda Metallurgical Plant
• Ferroalloy plant in Ermak (Pavlodar region)

Electric power industry

Large thermal power plants have been built in large industrial centers of Kazakhstan, such as Alma-Ata, Karaganda, Dzhambul, Shymkent, Pavlodar and others. Ust-Kamenogorsk and Bukhtarma hydroelectric power stations operate on the Irtysh River, and Kapchagai hydroelectric power station operates on the Ili River. Within the framework of the eighth five—year plan, three power units were put into operation, and in 1971 - the fourth at the Ermakovskaya thermal power plant, which operates on available coal from the Ekibastuz field. In the south of Kazakhstan, there is also the Dzhambul Condensing power plant (Now Zhambyl Condensing power plant).

Machine building industry

The machine-building industry of Kazakhstan began to develop actively during the Second World War, when a several of factories from the western regions of the country were evacuated to Kazakhstan.This industry produces a variety of equipment, including forging machines, metal cutting machines, excavators, agricultural and mining machines, and radio equipment.Factories specializing in the production of mining equipment, petroleum equipment, heavy machinery, electrical engineering and other types of machinery and equipment are located in various cities of the country.During the period of the eighth five-year plan (1966-1970), the first stage of the tractor factory was launched in Pavlodar. During this period, the production volume in the engineering industry increased by 1.6 times. Additionally, a instrumentation industry has been established in the republic, which produces various types of machines, devices, and equipment for the national economy, with many types of machinery and automated lines being supplied from other republics.

List of enterprises:

• Association of mining equipment plants (Karaganda)
• Plant for the production of oil equipment (Guriev)
• Heavy engineering and electrical engineering plants (Alma-Ata)
• "Kazakhselmash" and "Tselinogradselmash" (Tselinograd)
• Transformer and excavator plants (Kentau)
• Tractor plant (Pavlodar)
• Instrument-making industry in Aktobe, Kokchetav and Ust-Kamenogorsk

The chemical industry

Kazakhstan is developing non-ferrous metallurgy, including the production of copper, lead, zinc, titanium, magnesium, rare and precious metals. Ferrous metallurgy is also developing. In the mechanical engineering field, forging and pressing equipment, metal-cutting machines, excavators, and other machinery are produced. The chemical industry is based on phosphate deposits, producing mineral fertilizers, polyethylene, chromium compounds, chemical fibers, and other products.

Major enterprises:

• Karatau Mining and Chemical Combine
• Shymkent Phosphorus Salts Plant
• Dzhambul double superphosphate plant
• Polyethylene plant in Guryev
• Synthetic rubber plant in Temirtau
• Chromium compounds plant in Aktyubinsk
• Chemical-pharmaceutical plant in Shymkent

Food industry

The food industry has significant opportunities for growth and development in Kazakhstan.One of the main sectors is the meat industry, represented by meat processing plants, among which the largest is the Semipalatinsk plant, in terms of capacity second only to those in Moscow and Leningrad.Oil production is widespread in the northern and northeastern parts of the country. Flour milling and cereal industries are developed in major cities.Sugar factories are located in the sugar beet-growing areas of Jambyl, Taldykorgan, and Almaty regions.The fishing industry has also seen significant development. In the Caspian Sea, sturgeon, beluga, and herring are caught, while in the Aral Sea, bream, carp, and other fish species are caught.Fishing is also conducted on the lakes Balkhash, Zaysan, and others.

List of enterprises:

• Semipalatinsk meat processing plant
• Butter factories in the northern and northeastern regions
• Flour and cereal factories in large cities
• Sugar factories in beet-growing areas of Dzhambul, Taldy-Kurgan and Alma-Ata regions
• Fishing industry enterprises in the Caspian and Aral seas
• Fishing enterprises on lakes Balkhash, Zaisan and others.

Agriculture

Despite efforts to improve productivity, collective farms struggled, leading to economic challenges like famines and decreased productivity. Social disruptions ensued as traditional practices were upended, compounded by political coercion from the Soviet government. By 1971, Kazakhstan boasted 1631 state farms and 451 collective farms, with state farms owning nearly 82% of the total sown area. The widespread adoption of state-run enterprises followed extensive development of virgin and fallow lands, with 553 new state farms established from 1954 to 1958. Technological advancements, including the use of tractors and combine harvesters, aimed to enhance efficiency. Crop production accounted for 47.3% of total agricultural output, while livestock contributed 52.7%. Despite challenges, Kazakhstan emerged as a leading producer of grain, meat, and wool within the Soviet Union.