A level exam: Chapter 18-The soviet union by 1941 Flashcards
How was the Soviet Union governed?
In 1941 Stalin led a centralised and authoritarian one party state and this meant the party was able to increase its dominance. The structure of the government meant that there were parallel appointments in both the government and party hierarchy. The nomenklatura system of privileges was used to reward loyal soldiers and this concentrated decision making into a much smaller number of hands.
How did Stalin deal with opposition?
He continued Lenin’s idea of class warfare and he carried out purges using the OGPU and NKVD. Millions of ordinary citizens were arrested and 6000 party members were executed. Correction camps developed into gulags and provided slave labour.
What was the Stalinist economy like?
Stalin’s 5 year plans had transformed Russia into a highly industrialised and urbanised nation. More people now livefd in towns and the USSR had overtaken Britain in iron and steel production. Heavy industry and transport developments meant that they had laid foundations for victory in WW2 and coal and iron production had increased during the 5 year plans. However, the quality of goods was still poor and consumer goods were scarce. The central planning system was inefficient and organisation at local level was chaotic. They were also producing less grain than under the NEP.
What was Stalinist society like?
Communist control in the countryside had grown stronger and peasants were living in the kolkhoz. They were watched by the NKVD and there was increased urbanisation which helped to make a stronger working class. A new mass culture was being developed through education, propoganda, cults and public celebrations. There were low rations, poor housing and internal passports which meant that there was a restriction of movement. Rather than a classless society, there was a hierarchal society dominated by the privileged elite and the urban and rural working classes were driven by soviet masters.
What was happening in 1941?
Hitler invaded Russia in June, catching Stalin by surprise as he had ignored intelligence. The Soviet Union was not ready for war as the purges had removed senior officers and had weakened the army. There were also deficiencies in the quantity and quality of equipment and the reconstruction of the Navy was slow. The increased spending on the military meant that there was not enough food.
