Studied by 4 people
Permanent Revolution
A 1928 essay written by Leon Trotsky in response to criticism given by Soviet politician Karl Radek. The work was published in Russian by The Left Opposition after the expulsion of Trotsky from The Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1927.
Socialism in 1 country
a Soviet state policy to strengthen socialism within the country rather than socialism globally. Came after European communism defeats
Cultural Revolution
Educate masses to run the new society. Stalin put art in control of the state.
Cult of Personality
the veneration of one omnipotent, infallible leader – a belief ingrained in society. Idolizing a leader, prominent feature of society in Stalin’s reign
1st Five year Plan
Created in order to initiate rapid and large-scale industrialization across the USSR. Economic growth by the use of quotas. Concentrated on heavy industry, scheduled to triple output.
New Economic Policy
Lenin acknowledges the country isn’t ready for pure communism. Lenin states this policy would make Russia ready for pure communism. Peasants could sell surplus = profit off of land. Restores freedom of enterprise. Saving banks return. Government argued that it wasn’t capitalist.
Collectivization
Was done to 90% of farmland by 1937. The policy of transferring the ownership of private farmland to the state. The Soviet state in the 1930s seized land and set up farms where workers would produce grain for the state to distribute. Done to eliminate the Kulaks.
Nationalization
Transferring property from private to state ownership. Banks, minerals, industrial concerns, and foreign trade nationalized in Russia.
Constitution
Precedents to which a state should be governed.
Duma
Parliamentary body established by Tsar Nicholas II’s October Manifesto
The Great Terror
5-8 million people in labor camps / executed (1937-1940). Campaign to solidify power over communists
The Red Terror
Romanov family and Tsar Nicholas executed. Cheka executes state opposition. Red army violently puts down peasant rebellion
Holocaust
‘death by fire’ Murder of millions of Jewish people by hitler (Germany), comparable to the Holodomor
Holodomor
‘death by hunger’ The starvation of millions of Ukrainians in 1932–33 as a result of Soviet policies.
Praesidium
Permanent executive committee of legislative body. Acted on the Supreme Soviet’s behalf
Politburo
The political body of the Soviet Union
Dictator
Leader with total power over a country
General Secretary
Leader or chief of a political party. Was Stalin’s position in the communist party
Fuhrer
Translates to ‘leader’ used by hitler to define his role of authority in German reich
il Duce
‘the Leader’ Used by Mussolini to define his role of power
Lenin
Soviet revolutionary, head of soviet government, introduced cultural revolution in Russia. Succeeded by Trotsky.
Trotsky
Russian revolutionary, chairman of the Petrograd Soviet in 1917. Succeeded Lenin. Organizer of the red army. Stalin prevented him from becoming leader. Exiled from USSR
Kamenev
Head of the Moscow party organization. Ended up supporting Lenin.
Zinoviev
Old Bolshevik, head of the Leningrad party organization and Comintern.
Bukharin
Rising intellectual star of the ‘old’ Bolsheviks. Joint leader of Politburo with Stalin, voted off the Politburo after wanting to continue the NEP
Kirov
Bolshevik revolutionary, strong supporter of Stalin, forced collectivism, and industrialization. Voted against death penalty. Shot and killed in 1934, suspected of trying to take over leadership.
Yezhov
Police official under Stalin. Organized mass arrests, executions, and torture during the great terror. Later arrested and tortured to reveal anti-soviet activity. ‘scoundrel’ guilty of many excesses. He and most of staff shot or arrested
Stalin
Soviet revolutionary for the Bolshevik Party. Secretary General of communist party
Alexei Stakhanov
Champion (Stakhanovite), miner who cut 102 tons of coal in a single shift in August 1935.
Peter Stolypin
{first} Russian prime minister known for suppressing strikers and peasant unrest. Killed in 1911
Consumer Products
Goods for everyday consumption. Ex. foods, clothes, housing, etc.
Heavy Industry
Industry involved in heavy articles of production such as coal, iron, steel, etc. Russian production of this was surprisingly low following WWI.
Kolkhoz
Smaller farms being merged to create bigger farms. Joint owned by the peasants
Gulags
Labor camps which hundreds of thousands were sent to during the great terror and purges.
Kulaks
A class of well-off peasants. Were thought by some that they were blocking progress to socialism, and getting rich while industrial workers struggled
Stakhanovites
Workers who achieve record output in their field. Given medals / awards
Old Bolsheviks
Designation or rank for a member of the Bolshevik party. All of this class executed in the great terror / purges
NKVD
Organization protecting the state security of the Soviet Union. Secret police.
Cheka
Lenin’s secret Police
USSR
Made up of fifteen different republics. Described as a ‘socialist state of workers and peasants’ resulting from ‘the overthrow of the landlords and capitalists’
