1.3 Krushchev, Brezhnev & Co. Flashcards
De-stalinisation
Process of discrediting Stalin & reforming USSR after his death 1953
relaxation in censorship, immediate stop of terror
Started by Khrushchev’s Secret Speech 1956 in 20th Party Congress (allowed non-Stalinist policies without damaging his rep)
Retained control through rewards system, Party membership grew
1953-56: Khrushchev’s rise to power
53: Collective leadership of Malenkov, Khrushchev & Beria, who was accused of being a British spy and executed
K appointed his followers to Central Committee (50% of elected in 1952 were removed/replaced)
Became First Secretary of Communist Party (Politburo renamed Presidium), resumed frequent meetings
Prime Minister: march 1858
Khrushchev’s aims
- De-stalinisation
- Decentralisation (political & economical)
- Socialist Legality: gov+Party are not above law
Khrushchev’s reforms
- Local-level organisations set up
- Secret police under Party control & lost power over gulags
- Party members could not face prison, 2M political prisoners released 1953-60 (only 4% reincorporated by 1955)
- Official’s terms reduced to 3 years
By 1964, 60% of Party members were workers/peasants
Still: heavy punishments for corruption/criticism
Crisis of 1957
‘Anti-Party Group’ led by Malenkov & Molotov attempted to remove K
Presidium asked for his resignation, but it has to be approved by Central Committee (K’s cronies)
Made Malenkov head of State’s Electricity and Molotov ambassador in Mangolia -> change from Stalin
Downfall of Khrushchev
Isolated elites by decentralising power
Removed by Party bureaucrats 1964 due to economical and agricultural failures, Cuban Missile Crisis, mood swings…
1963 harvest disastrous
‘Stalin would have had them shot’ -> fact that he could be democratically removed showed success
Brezhnev’s rise to power
Non-threatening Party member, careful not to alienate colleagues -> ‘first among equals’ by 1966
Party wanted to reassert its power and stabilise leadership -> gave Polit sense of unity
Sidelined his rivals (Podgormy given ceremonial Head of State post, Shelepin to deal with foreign affairs)
Brezhnev’s Policies
Reversing de-Salinisation: stopped Party division, removed tenure, end to ‘subjectivism’
‘Trust in cadres’ let experts work without supervision -> led to political stagnation
Membership grew 6.9M 1953 to 17M 1980
Soviet Constitution, 1977: ‘mature socialism’ primacy of Party over state
Presidium renamed Politburo & First Secretary became General in 23rd Party Congress 1966 (Congress of silences -> little discussion
