1.2 How did Stalin exercise power over the communist party and soviet state

Question 1

elimination of opponents in government and party- the powers of the general secretary Stalin. Stalin’s power base in the communist party

Answer 1

• became general secretary in 1922
• responsible for day-to-day running of the party
• co-ordinated work across departments of party
• had access to over 26,000 personal files on party members- able to use against rivals
• able to decline agenda of party meetings- able to avoid issues he didnt wanna talk abt.
• had surveillance over Lenin enrolment- made sure he could identify with the needs and demands of new members .
• able to appoint people to party positions- made sure he could promote his supporters to key positions and those who opposed him he could remove

Question 2

elimination of opponents in gov and party- who were stalins opponents in the Politburo

Answer 2

• Trotsky- arrogant and not a team player but considered the natural successor
• Zinoviev- worked close with Lenin and built a strong powerbase. Skilled operator but vain
• Bukharin- lacked experience but considered golden boy as he was Lenin’s fav.

Question 3

elimination of opponents in gov and party- Stalin’s removal of political rivals and his securing of power.

Answer 3

REMOVED THE LEFT BY:
REMOVED THE RIGHT BY:
- undermining Bukharins positionby stressing his disagreements with Lenin during the early 1920’s.
- accused Bakharin of forming factions within the party
- supporters in the right in the moscow party branch were removed

Question 4

The purges of the 1930’s- the instruments of terror

Answer 4

• party secretariat could be used to condemn people as enemies
• secret police and gulags arrested and tortured people.

Question 5

the purges of the 1930’s- The chistka 1932-35

Answer 5

removed officials and bsped up implementation of economic policy
- by 1935, 22% of the party had been removed from their posts.

Question 6

the purges of the 1930’s- real or imagined

Answer 6

by 1930 there was no justification for the party to use terror
there was an increasing critisism of Stalin’s policies by 1932.
- Ryutin accused Stalin of building a personal dictatorship
- criticised collectivisation
- criticised unrealistic targets set like 5 year plans.

this is why the great purge took place in the 1930’s.

Question 7

purges of the 1930’s- the murder of Kirov 1934

Answer 7

• assasinated by a party member
• suggested that it was carried out on Stalin’s orders and blamed on Zinoviev and Kamenev and sentenced to long term imprisonment.

Question 8

the purges of the 1930’s- show trials

Answer 8

• on left opposition
• members told to be vigilant of enemies of the people

trial of the sixteen
- involved leaders of the left
- people accused as working as agents

trial of the seventeen 1937
- purge of party officials
- accused of undermining soviet economy

trial of the twenty-one
- 1938
- purge of the right

Question 9

the purges of the 1930’s- the purges widen

Answer 9

• Stalin did this to strengthen his hold over the party

purges in the red army
- 1937