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
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.
The October Revolution 1917
Bolsheviks the size of 300,000 seize power. Portrayed as an uprising of the workers to gain support.
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.
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.
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.
Key results of the civil war
Bolshevik state had become highly centralised, as well as an extensive use of terror. Highly militarised population.
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.
Nomenklatura System
Used to ensure the development of a committed communist bureaucracy. Drew up lists of approved party employees suitable for certain jobs.
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.
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.
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.
The murder of Kirov, 1934
Kirov assassinated by Leonid Nikolayev, suspicions that Stalin ordered. Zinoviev and Kamenev arrested.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
The ‘Secret Speech’ of 1956
20th Party Congress 1956 Khrushchev gave a speech criticising Stalin
Many were shocked at this criticism
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
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
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
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
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
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
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