(f) Stalins power over party and state

Who were the members of the Politburo in 1924?

Bukharin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Rykov, Tomsky, Trotsky and Stalin.

What had happened to the 1924 Politburo by the end of 1930?

Stalin was the only surviving member; the others were removed during economic policy disputes of the late 1920s.

Who replaced Stalin’s former rivals in the Politburo?

Stalin’s loyal cronies: Molotov, Voroshilov, Kalinin and Lazar Kaganovich.

How did Stalin ensure agreement within the Politburo?

y stacking it with loyalists and using terror against former opponents as a warning.

What message did terror send to Politburo members?

Opposition to Stalin could lead to arrest or execution.

What was the key consequence of Stalin’s methods for political institutions?

They failed to gain real power and became rubber-stamp bodies for Stalin’s decisions.

How did the role of Party and State institutions change under Stalin?

They existed to approve policies already decided by Stalin, not to debate or shape them.

How did Politburo meetings change during the 1930s?

Meetings became far less frequent — from weekly in the 1920s to about nine times a year by the mid-1930s.

How was power reorganised outside the Politburo?

It shifted to small subgroups set up outside the Politburo, where Stalin exercised tighter control.

How did Stalin intimidate officials during meetings?

He attended personally, walked around while others spoke, creating fear of saying the wrong thing.

What example shows the deadly consequences of opposing Stalin?

Pavel Rychagov, Soviet air force commander, was executed after criticising aircraft quality.

How did Stalin’s leadership style differ from Lenin’s?

Lenin could be forceful, but Stalin used systematic intimidation and terror, which was far more extreme and personal.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: What did Stalin claim about the 1936 Soviet Constitution?

He called it “the only thoroughly democratic constitution in the world.”

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: He called it “the only thoroughly democratic constitution in the world.”

All citizens could vote, including groups previously denied the vote, like kulaks and priests.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: What civil rights were guaranteed under the 1936 Constitution?

Freedom of the press, religion, organisation, and guaranteed employment, contrasting with capitalist countries during the Great Depression.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: How was the Constitution a fraud in practice?

It restricted citizens’ rights, allowed only Communist Party candidates, and ensured Party dominance. Democracy was imposed from above.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: Why were other political parties banned?

The government claimed class conflict had ended under socialism, so only one party was necessary.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: What was the foreign policy purpose of the Constitution?

To convince Western powers, like Britain and France, that the USSR was democratic and a reliable ally against Nazi Germany.

The Soviet Constitution of 1936: How did events like the Great Purge affect perceptions of the Constitution?

The purges revealed the Constitution’s claims were false, showing limited rights and Party control in reality.

What personal limits did Stalin face in controlling the USSR?

The country was vast; he could not personally oversee every issue, so he had to prioritise key concerns.

How did the Politburo sometimes limit Stalin’s power?

Even after purges removed opposition, some members opposed certain actions, showing he was not all-powerful.

Example of Politburo opposition to Stalin: Ryutin (1932)

Stalin wanted Ryutin executed for denouncing him, but the Politburo refused, and Ryutin got 10 years in a labour camp instead.

Limits on Stalin’s economic power: the Second Five-Year Plan

Many, including Politburo members, considered his targets too high, forcing a redrafting with lower targets.

How did Kirov challenge Stalin within the Party?

He was popular, received more votes than Stalin in the 1934 Central Committee elections, hinting at moderate opposition.

Concerns over Stalin’s use of terror within the leadership

Kuibyshev, Ordzhonikidze, Voroshilov, and Kalinin objected to brutality. Ordzhonikidze’s death was likely suicide due to pressure; others became isolated.

Overall significance of these limits

Stalin’s power was immense but not absolute; he relied on managing the Politburo, prioritising issues, and intimidating dissent rather than controlling everything personally.

How secretive was politics within the Soviet leadership?

Politburo relationships were secretive; evidence is hard to interpret. Limits on Stalin existed but were minor and decreased through the 1930s.

How did Stalin manage his cronies?

He surrounded himself with loyalists who needed power to serve his goals, but some (e.g., Yezhov) pursued their own agendas during the Great Terror.

What were limits imposed from below the leadership?

Party members sometimes pushed policies they believed would strengthen socialism, e.g., overzealous collectivisation in 1930, which Stalin had to rein in.

How did local pressures affect the purges?

Purges at local levels often reflected conflicts between local Party members and regional authorities, beyond Stalin’s direct control.

How did Lenin’s legacy contribute to Stalin’s power?

Bureaucracy growth, weak political institutions, and use of terror set the stage for Stalin’s control.

Key difference between Leninism and Stalinism

Stalinism was a personal dictatorship serving Stalin’s purposes, not merely a continuation of Lenin’s “dictatorship of the proletariat.”

Overall assessment of Stalin’s power

While some limits existed, Stalin was both a product of the inherited system and a force who strengthened it for his own advantage.

What major challenge did the Soviet Union face in 1941?

The German invasion, starting 22 June 1941, requiring mobilisation of military and civilian resources.

How was the Soviet administration organised during the war?

Civilian resources coordinated by the State Defence Committee (GKO); military through the Supreme Command (Stavka).

How did Stalin adjust the use of terror during the war?

Reduced terror; released generals like Zhukov and ex-Party officials from labour camps to use their expertise.

How did propaganda affect Stalin’s power?

Appeals to Russian nationalism mobilised the masses and presented Stalin as a symbol of unity, increasing his authority.

How did Stalin initially respond to the German invasion?

Shocked, possibly had a breakdown, retreated to his dacha for several days, causing temporary confusion in communication with the front.

What was Stalin’s image by the end of WWII?

Emerged as a hero to the Soviet people, with victory attributed to his firm leadership against Nazi Germany.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):What were the main concerns of Stalin’s rule after WWII?

Reconstruction, reasserting Party authority, and reintroducing terror after wartime concessions (e.g., to the Orthodox Church) were withdrawn.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):How did the cult of personality affect perceptions of Stalin?

It created the façade of enormous power, but his health was declining and Party rivals were scheming for influence.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):It created the façade of enormous power, but his health was declining and Party rivals were scheming for influence.

Andrei Zhdanov, Georgy Malenkov, and Lavrenti Beria.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):What was the Mingrelian Affair (1951)?

A purge of Party members in Georgia, targeting Beria’s allies, reflecting Stalin’s use of purges to control rivals.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):How did Stalin manipulate the Politburo at the 1952 Congress?

Enlarged the Presidium from 10 → 36 members to bring in newcomers with no links to Beria or Malenkov, isolating rivals.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):What was the ‘Doctors’ Plot’ of 1953?

Arrest of doctors accused of attempting to assassinate leadership; likely intended as a step against Beria and possibly other rivals.

High Stalinism (1945–1953):How had Stalin’s power changed by 1945–1953?

Declining—he relied increasingly on intrigue and terror, could no longer fully control subordinates, and some supporters of rivals were promoted.