Question

What did Stalin aim to achieve by creating the GULAG? Which was the more important goal of the GULAG—maintaining political stability or improving the economy and infrastructure of the USSR?

Answer 1

By creating the GULAG, Stalin aimed to turn the Soviet Union into an industrial power, and organize both agriculture and industry through collective control of government. The more important goal of the GULAG was to improve the economy and infrastructure of the USSR; doing this would automatically help to maintain political stability, which—although was a goal—was not more important.