Khrushchev and 'relaxation'

When was 'The Secret Speech'?

20th Party Congress, February 1956

What did Khrushchev say in the secret speech?

Khrushchev denounced Stalin for the brutal way in which he run the USSR and promised that things would change. He also promised an end to the confrontation with America and a policy of 'mutual co-existence.'

The Thaw

Warmer relationships with capitalists nations, Normalisation. Seen as a way for freedom by: Hungary + Poland.

Peaceful Co-Existance

With the USA and Western Powers. Khrushchev was seen as reasonable.

Demonisation of Stalin?

Khrushchev seen as a new, reasonable, modernising, and more humane leader. Better standard of living.

Destalinisation

Destroyed the myth of the 'Cult of Personality', censorship of artists and writers relaxed, liberal approach was taken to expression. Secret police power reduced, death penalty abolished, political prisoners released.

What were Khrushchev's main economic aims?

1. Focus on consumer goods.

2. Increase average standard of living.

3. Boost food production

Biological Yield

The maximum possible yield of the standing crop in the field at moment of maximum ripeness.

Economic Developments - MTS abolition + other agricultural change

1958: It had become too expensive and beyond repair so they were left to rust away.

Khrushchev interfered too much with little regard for local conditions and reorganised things continually.

Economic Developments - Khrushchev's maize obession

Wanted to plant maize to provide cattle-feed and revive meat/dairy farming.

Planted 85 million acres, with 1/8th harvested ripe.

Although Khrushchev in 1957 claimed they would catch the US in per capita meat output by 1960, it wasn't sustainable with some officers killing dairy cows to reach meat quotas.

Economic Developments - Seven Year Plan

1959-65: large investments in oil and natural gas, focus on east of Urals.

11,000 factories were transferred from central govt. to regional control.

Although industrial progress was impressive at the start, by the end growth was suffering due to space race.

Economic Developments - Virgin Lands Campaign

Khrushchev wanted to plough up a vast area of virgin and fallow lands in Kazakhstan, Urals, and Siberia for grain production.

Cultivated 35.9 million areas by 1956.

1956 - 125 million tonnes

1960 - 13,000 sq. miles lost to top soil erosion

1963 - Disastrous with US imports to avoid a famine

Economic Developments - Space Programme

Aug. 1957 - 1st successful ICBM test

Oct. 1957 - Sputnik success

1961 - Yuri Gagarin = 1st man in space

Boosted soviet prestige, led to overestimating Soviet progress to the rest of the world. (e.g. US and the 'Missile Gap')

Social Change - Soviet Reform

Working hours reduced, increased childcare, introduced maternity leave, state pensions introduced, wage increase.

Social Change - Building Projects

Pre-War = Barracks and communal living (e.g. Magnitogorsk)

1950s = Housing construction schemes: Apartments with 54 million re-housed in family flats.

Social Change - Consumer Goods

Compared to the US...Negative.

But they met basic needs and the USSR had less background in producing consumer goods.

The New Party Programme (1961) - Khrushchev's idea

Khrushchev was eager to develop Soviet Society, interpreting 'true communism' as a better life for ordinary people.

The New Party Programme - What he wanted to do and what it was referred to as

He wanted to revive the mood of the 1920s introducing the NPP which was described as 'a combination of self-delusion, wishful thinking, and utopianism.'

The New Party Programme - What he declared would occur

He felt the USSR was already socialist and was en-route to communism.

But he wanted the party to be more accountable with term limits and rotation of office.

Declared a communist society would be almost complete by 1980.

By 1970 = No housing shortage and USSR overtakes USA in per capita production.

By 1980 = real income per head increased by more than 250%.

Cultural Change - Pop Culture

Some restrictions on foreign publication, travel and radio lifted.

International performance by Bolshoi Ballet and Moscow State Circus.

'In tourist' allowed visits by westerners.

Western influence of youth culture led to the Stilyagi, leading to similar concerns about juvenile delinquency and cultural dilution.

Cultural Change - High Culture

Useful in demonstrating their cultural sophistication and intellect.

Composers like Shostakovich and writers like Akhmatova allowed to work again.

Western writers like Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway published in USSR.

Khrushchev disliked modernism and culture could be critical of Stalin not the Soviet System.

Cultural Change - Dr Zhivago

Banned for over 3 decades because it criticised the 1917 revolution, lacked communist ideology, and prioritised individual conscience over the state, questioning Soviet Rule/System.

Cultural Change - One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich

Was allowed because it criticised Stalin, his regime, and his gulag system, but never the Soviet System itslef.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Samizdat

Dissident activity whereby individuals reproduced works that would not pass the censor, then distributing that literature.

High risk and brought danger of imprisonment in labour camps.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Dissident

Individuals who openly criticised or opposed the communist party policies, ideology, or actions.

Criticised censorship, demanding freedom of expression.

Faced serious consequences: imprisonment, psychotic hospitalisation, exile, loss of employment.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Bulganin

Nikolai Bulganin was a prominent Premier minister from 1955-58 who rose due to the period of shared leadership post-death of Stalin.

Was part of the "Anti-Party Group" who opposed de-Stalinisation but failed an attempted coup.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Molotov

Defended Stalin's policies, opposing 'peaceful coexistence', decentralisation reforms, reorganisation of economic management.

Viewed Khrushchev as reckless and too soft on capitalism. Which led to the 1957 attempted coup.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Novocherkassk Massacre

June 1962.

Began as workers wanted better working, living and pay.

Most only wanted that, but some were more radical calling death or removal of Khrushchev.

26 dead, 8 wounded, 105 arrested, 7 death sentenced.

Seen as a national failure and blamed on Khrushchev.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Presidium

Resented his arrogance, style, and policies. Some felt his anti-Stalinism went too far.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Provincial party secretaries and Central Committee

Bitter resentment of his reorganisations and the impact on their power.

Opposition to Khrushchev - The Military

Resented cuts in military spending and the policy of relying on nuclear weapons, a policy refuted by the CMC.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Professional People/Managers

Resented the enhanced role of the party and its interference.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Intelligentsia

Disappointed with the retreat from the Thaw after 1962. Dissidents and Samizdat Cultural underground.

Opposition to Khrushchev - The diplomatic service

Appalled by some of Khrushchev's behaviour, especially the use of his son-in-law on diplomatic missions.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Workers

Alienated by the rise in food prices in 1962. e.g. Novocherkassk revolt.

Opposition to Khrushchev - Peasants

Resented disruptive and repeated interventions and the failure of his policies.

Khrushchev's Downfall - Behaviour

When the USSR was criticised at the UN General Assembly in 1960, Khrushchev banged his shoe on his desk in protest, not photographed but widely reported and an embarrassment on the world stage.

Khrushchev's Downfall - Opposition within the party

There was long-term resentment about the 'secret speech' but opposition was silenced with insignificant jobs, not gulags or execution. (e.g. General Zhukov)

Khrushchev's Downfall - CMC 1962

Khrushchev had consulted the Presidium, although the missiles were his idea and he was blamed.

Khrushchev's Downfall - Agriculture

In 1963, dry summer caused Virgin Lands Campaign failing (107 million tns) formed him to use gold reserves and was summoned for his failures.

Khrushchev's Downfall - Reorganisation

He repeatedly interfered with state and party bureaucracies - restless and impatient. Yet he didn't want to take any actions like Stalin so limited in options.

Khrushchev's Downfall - 1964 retirement

Summoned by Brezhnev to the Presidium, telling him he was no longer best for the USSR due to his:

- 'Explosiveness'

- 'Ignored Presidium'

- 'Cult of Khrushchev'

Votes in the Presidium and Central Committee unanimously ousted Khrushchev and Brezhnev became Party First Secretary.