“All for the Front! All for Victory!”: The Implementation of Shock Work in the Kazakh SSR in 1941–1945

Introduction. This article, drawing upon a wide set of historical sources, seeks to characterize the shock work and the factors that influenced worker motivation at defense enterprises in the Kazakh SSR. Methods and materials. The source material for this work includes documents from the archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as materials from the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the Party Control Commission, “Special folders,” and records of primary party organizations, many of which are being introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. The conceptual framework is informed by the notions of a mobilization economy and the history of everyday life. Analysis. The article examines the challenges of industrial restructuring during wartime and the prevalence of shock work in the Kazakh SSR from 1941 to 1945. Drawing on the minutes of Party Bureau meetings, open and closed general factory meetings, as well as other documents, the paper analyzes the issues encountered in implementing shock work and the strategies employed to enhance worker motivation. Results. Analysis of the formation and development of shock work at enterprises in the Kazakh SSR revealed that workers’ responses to calls for increased productivity ranged from full support, as seen in Stakhanov labor, to various forms of adaptation and resistance. The conclusion is that the economic victory in the war could not have been achieved without the support and sacrifices of the most of ordinary Soviet citizens, including the population of the Kazakh SSR. Authors’ contribution. R.S. Zharkynbayeva proposed the idea and developed the general concept of the work, analysed archival sources, formulated the main results. M.A. Doskaliyeva conducted a review of foreign historiography, participated in the writing of the text, making the necessary adjustments and changes at the final stage. B.B. Karibaev analysed the Kazakhstani historiography and contributed to the writing of the text. Funding. The research was undertaken as part of the project funded by Grant of the MSHE RK AP23490680.