Dissidents And Popular Discontent 1967-85 Flashcards
Summarise Terror 1967-85?
Khruschev: de-Stalinisation— scaling back of terror
Brezhnev: concerned about opposition to the regime
SO
Greater emphasis on controlling opponents
(Continued till 1985)
YET
No return to the mass terror of Lenin and Stalin period
What was Andropov’s attitude, as head of the secret police?
Andropov (like Brezhnev)— CONSERVATIVE: suspicious of Khruschev’s liberalisation.
✅ Rejected the use of mass terror—> preferred to minimise the use of violence
Wanted to use the secret police to target specific individuals— a tiny minority who refused to conform, the dissidents.
What were Andropov’s strategies with dealing with dissidents?
Rejected show trials/ public attempts to control soviet citizens— didn’t want to draw too much attention to the regimes repressive side
SO INSTEAD:
• allowed dissident artists to emigrate: over 100,000 potential “trouble makers” were allowed to leave
• sent regime’s opponents to mental asylums: “treatment” for their “paranoid reformist delusions”
• invested in surveillance, put pressure on those he believed might be dangerous to conform through a strategy of issuing formal warnings. Around 70,000 received a sp warning in the 1970s
• organised the demotion/sacking of dissidents. Many intellectuals ended up working as cleaners during the 70s, punishment
• intimidation tactics. Ie. Sent bulldozers to destroy an illegal art exhibition in 1974– “Bulldozer Exhibition”
Was Andropov successful in dealing with dissidents?
❌ Failed to stamp out opposition— throughout the period networks of dissidents published illegal material: homemade, self published samizdat magazines contained literature and poetry that the authorities believed was counter-revolutionary.
Forced to move cautiously against dissidents who were KNOWN IN THE WEST:
Pressure from western governments meant that dissidents like Sakharov and Solzhenitsyn remained free
What happened when Andropov became leader of the Soviet Union?
Continued to be head of the secret police
Policies informed by secret reports on popular discontent— indicated that citizens were:
• anxious about the slow improvement in living standards
• dissatisfied with the quality & availability of food & consume goods
• resentful and privileges and corruption of Party members
What did KGB reports say loss of faith in the system was leading to?
Social malaise: included an increase in: • alcoholism • poor labour discipline • increased black market trade • avoidance of military service • demand for western goods • sympathy for Poland strikes • increased church attendance • falling birth rate
How did Andropov deal with discontent, 1982-85?
Introduced a series of policies to tackle the malaise:
• ANTI-CORRUPTION: Andropov investigated senior Party officials (ie. brezhnevs Minister of the Interior Shchelokov) who used soviet resources to make themselves rich
• ANTI-ALCOHOL CAMPAIGN: workers could be sacked for drunkenness
• OPERATION TRAWL: anti-drunkenness and anti-absenteeism campaign: KGB officers visited parks, restaurants, train stations arresting the drunk and absent
What did Operation Trawl lead to?
Less absenteeism in the short term
BUT Andropov became ill soon after his appointment as leader: was unable to sustain the campaigns.
