Communist Government in the USSR 1917-1985

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28 Terms

1

How the party and government functioned during Stalin’s growing control

  • By end of 1930 Stalin was the only member left, replaced by Stalin’s cronies

  • Politburo met less frequently.

  • Power focused on subgroups outside the Politburo

  • Stalin used intimidation in meetings

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2

Bolshevik Aims

Established in 1903, target to increase repressive Tsarist regime that collapsed February 1917. Desire to get rid of capitalist system and promote socialism.

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3

The October Revolution 1917

Bolsheviks the size of 300,000 seize power. Portrayed as an uprising of the workers to gain support.

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4

Opposition to the Bolsheviks

Left-wing: Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks. Destroyed by Lenin’s dissolution of the Constituent Assembly which displayed massive support to the SR’s.

Right-wing: Tsarist supporters

Nationalist groups: Ukrainians, Poles and Finns.

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5

The Treaty of Brest-Livosk 1918

Took Russia out of the First World War, losing control over the Baltic states. National humiliation, however, Lenin signed the treaty to focus on internal enemies.

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6

The Russian civil war 1918-21

White opposition to the Red Bolsheviks. Whites included liberals and military leaders. After the Treaty of Brest-Livosk there was military campaigns in opposition to the Bolsheviks, however Bolsheviks defeated the Whites at the end of 1920.

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7

Key results of the civil war

Bolshevik state had become highly centralised, as well as an extensive use of terror. Highly militarised population.

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8

Tenth Party Congress 1921

March 1921 dealt with divisions within the party. Growth in party posed a threat to stability from 300,000 1917 to 730,000 1921. Lenin put forward a ban on formation of factions in the Party.

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9

Nomenklatura System

Used to ensure the development of a committed communist bureaucracy. Drew up lists of approved party employees suitable for certain jobs.

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10

The Soviet Constitution of 1924

Extend the Bolshevik power to outlying regions of the old Russian Empire. Established in 1924 the USSR in theory a federal state. Russia dominated over land mass and population.

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11

Use of Terror Under Lenin

Cheka headed by Felix Dzerzhinsky, party committee formed in December 1917 to deal with counter-revoltion and sabotage. Left-wing opponents arrested August 1918, waves of arrests in 1921 and 1922 Red Terror. 1917-1923 Cheka was responsible for the executions of up to 200,000 people. 1922 Cheka replaced by the OGPU, terror became more bureaucratic. Chistka purge 1918 and 1920’s, 1/3 party purged.

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12

The Chistka of 1932-35

1932 a purge of Party membership due to the difficulties of launching the First 5YP. 1935 22% of the Party had been removed. Increase in violence, targeted towards Kamenev and Zinoviev (Left Party) and Tomsky and Rykov (Right). Great Purge of the 1930s.

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13

The murder of Kirov, 1934

Kirov assassinated by Leonid Nikolayev, suspicions that Stalin ordered. Zinoviev and Kamenev arrested.

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14

The Show Trials

1935-1936. Trial of the Sixteen: Leaders of the Left, Zinoviev and Kamenev August 1936. Accused of working as agents of Trotsky. The Trial of the Seventeen: 1937 purge of Radek and Pyatakov, accused for working under Trotsky to sabotage the Soviet economy. Trial of the Twenty-one: 1938 purge of the Right. Tomsky committed suicide before trial. Bukharin and Rykov accused of forming a ‘Trotskyite-Rightist Bloc’.

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15

Widening of the Purges

Purges in the Red Army: 1937-38, 3/5 marshals purged, 14/16 army commanders, 35,000 officers. The purge of the secret police: 1936 Yagoda replaced by Yezhov, purged 3,000 of his own personnel. Dismissed 1938, arrested 1939.

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16

Soviet constitution of 1936

Constitution shows the failure of democratic institutions to develop. Every USSR citizen was able to vote, Civil rights also given under the constitution. Guarantee of employment. However, it actually restricted rights of citizens, democracy imposed from above, only candidates from the communist party allowed to stand elections. Aimed to convince Britain and France that the USSR was democratic.

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17

The limits on Stalin’s power

  • Personal limits, Stalin not able to survey all material necessary to keep on top of events in such a large country.

  • Limits imposed from within the leadership: The politburo at times opposed Stalin’s actions. For example the execution of Ryutin, high targets of the 5 year plan, concerns over use of brutality.

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18

Stalin’s power over the Party during the Second World War 1941-1945

  • German invaded the Soviet 1941

  • State Defence Committee was in charge of the country’s administration

  • Military co-ordinated with the Supreme Command

  • Release of generals and ex-party officials as well as reduce terror to prioritise the war

  • Propaganda that increased Stalin’s power as he was presented as a symbol of unity

  • Germans invaded 22 June, led Stalin to have a breakdown

  • Stalin emerged the war a hero

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19

High Stalinism 1945-53

  • Focus on reconstruction after the second world war bringing back terror

  • Cult of personality gave Stalin enormous power

  • Health in decline greatest threats of the new generation Politburo were Beria and Malenkov

  • The mingrelian Affair of 1951 purge of the Party in Georgia many were Beria’s allies

  • Politburo grew from 10 to 36

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20

The Succession of Khrushchev

  • Stalin died 1953 members of the politburo were in control (Beria, Khrushchev, Malenkov)

  • Beria reduced terror through an amnesty 27th March 1953 which released millions of prisoners.

  • June Beria was arrested and executed for being a ‘British spy

  • September 1953 Khrushchev became First Secretary of the Communist Party

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21

The ‘Secret Speech’ of 1956

  • 20th Party Congress 1956 Khrushchev gave a speech criticising Stalin

  • Many were shocked at this criticism

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22

Khrushchev’s ‘de-Stalinisation’

  • Wanted to return to the legality of Leninism

  • Reforms were known as de-Stalinisation

  • Regular meetings of the presidium and Central Committee resumed

  • Decentralise decision-making

  • Party and gov officials didn’t face prison if they didn’t meet their targets

  • Secret police brought firmly under party control, also lost control over labour camps

  • 2 million political prisoners released from labour camps 1953-1960

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23

How was fear induced by Khrushchev

  • Internal exile or removal to psychiatric hospital if there was corruption or criticism

  • Secret police had more sophisticated method of surveillance

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24

Factors that led to Khrushchev’s downfall

  • Humiliation of the Cuban Missile Crisis

  • His erratic behaviour

  • Economic mistakes, failures of the agriculture policy through a disastrous harvest 1963

  • Party removed him 1964

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25

Khrushchev’s reforms

  • Major purge of local Party secretaries

  • 1962 Khrushchev divided the Party into agricultural and industrial departments, reduce power

  • Khrushchev introduced limit to the length Party officials could serve-in post to 3 years

  • Stalin’s body removed from the Red square

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26

What were Brezhnev’s first moves when coming into power

  • Reversed some aspects of de-Stalinisation from Khrushchev

  • The division of agriculture and Industrial was dropped

  • Limits on tenure of office were removed

  • Trust in cadres, membership grew 6.9 million 1953 to 17 million 1980

  • No more ‘subjectivism’

  • Creating stability but led to stagnation

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27

Political Stagnation under Brezhnev

  • Party leadership had developed an oligarchy

  • Brezhnev only promoted his old colleagues

  • Limited innovation and change within the party

  • Corruption would go unnoticed ‘the cotton affair’

  • Nepotism of party officials

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28

Brezhnevs Downfall

  • His last years was of lack of control over his position and his family

  • Died in 1982, politburo chose Andropov to be his successor, he died 1984

  • Politburo elected Chernenko in his mid-70’s very ill, died March 1985

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