The Five-Year Plans and the collectivization of agriculture transformed the Soviet economy, but they also transformed Soviet society. Industry needed engineers to grow, and the Soviet education system was geared to producing engineers, technicians, and scientists in vast numbers. Unlike a western "liberal arts" education, which attempts to teach a student a little about many things, the Soviets developed polytechnical education, which concentrated on teaching a student math, science, and trade or mechanical skills. As industry expanded, so too did the availability and the demand for machinists and skilled factory workers. Between 1924 and 1941, the number of Soviet citizens who made their living as industrial workers increased astronomically.

Rapid industrialization resulted in the construction of cities in the middle of nowhere, so that factories could be close to sources of hydroelectric power and raw materials. As in the West, the rapid expansion of cities caused...