NOT DONE Key Debate 1: 'How far did de-Stalinisation represent a genuine break from the past?'

'How far did de-Stalinisation represent a genuine break from the past?'

What are the arguments in this debate?

• He only changed aspects of the political system, not the system itself

• Given the context, destalinisation can be seen as a success'

Khrushchev DID fundamentally change society through destalinisation

• He changed the gov so it was more accountable to him + to the party

• Made his contemporaries worried that his changes would lead to even more changes + deconstructing the communist system

• Two goals from 1957:

  1. Democratisation - weakening bureaucracy → more responsibility to the people

  2. Decentralisation - more initiatives to the localities

Khrushchev DID/DIDN’T fundamentally change society through destalinisation

What did Khrushchev do to try achieve decentralisation?

Did:

• As part of 6th 5 year plan in 1957: 60 Moscow ministries abolished, USSR divided into 105 economic regions, w/ local economic councils (sovnarkhoz)

  • Hoped to cut unnecessary bureaucracy + get credit for communism/socialism

Didn’t:

• BUT ambition > achievement → only added another layer of bureaucracy → system abandoned in 1965 after K losing power

• Extended Khrushchev's patronage network in localities

Khrushchev DID/DIDN’T fundamentally change society through destalinisation

What did Khrushchev do to try achieve democratisation?

Did:

• Membership increased by 4 mill b/w 1956-64

• Role of local soviets increased, comrade courts revived → the people had more control

• 1957: 105 economic regions

Didn’t:

• Extended Khrushchev's patronage network in localities

Khrushchev DID only changed aspects of the political system, not the system itself through destalinisation

• Only partially successful in:

  • Making the Communist Party more accountable to the people

  • Reforming bureaucracy so it appeared less corrupt + more effective in dealing w/ the wants/needs of the population

• BUT these had limited impact on presenting destalinisation to the rest of the world bcs:

  • Adhering to centralised economic planning

  • Contradiction b/w economic + political policies

Khrushchev DID only changed aspects of the political system, not the system itself through destalinisation

How did he make the Communist Party more accountable to the people

• Secret Speech (1956) - criticised ‘cult of personality’ + said he committed crimes vs the R people + betrayed Leninist principles

• Reformed bureaucracy so it appeared less corrupt + more effective in dealing w/ the wants/needs of the population

Khrushchev DID only changed aspects of the political system, not the system itself through destalinisation

How did he reform bureaucracy so it appeared less corrupt + more effective in dealing w/ the wants/needs of the population ?

Did:

• Released those accused in the Doctor’s Plot

• 1956 – reinstated the right to change jobs, allowed annulment of people imprisoned for ‘unauthorised departures’

• No. of prisoners decreased from 13 mill → 5 mill

Didn’t:

• Centralised economic planning: 1959: state committees + a new Supreme Economic council set up to supervise a new 7 year plan

• 1957: 105 economic regions → ambition > achievement → only added another layer of bureaucracy → system abandoned in 1965 after K losing power