Government, propaganda, and FP

Question 1

Stalin’s style of government

Answer 1

Bureaucratic centralism where government, including appointments, controlled by the centre, factionalism a crime, always shown as continuation of Lenin, fear the driving force.

Question 2

Secret police

Answer 2

Cheka renamed OGPU in 1926 new boss Menzhinsky but lots of responsibility to deputy… Yagoda.

Question 3

Stalin’s FP ministers

Answer 3

Chicherin and Litvinov both very capable.

Question 4

Relations with China

Answer 4

Chinese Communist Party wanted support for revolution from Stalin and the Comintern, Stalin instead backed the nationalist Guomindang as wanted stable borders and suspicious of CCP’s interpretation of Marxism, 1926 military dictatorship established, 1927 vicious suppression of workers revolt, around 30 000 workers killed in 1927 alone, criticism from Trotsky but he was expelled that year.

Question 5

Germany

Answer 5

Treaty of Berlin 1926, same stuff, economically benefit until 1929.

Question 6

Changes in the Comintern

Answer 6

At sixth congress in 1928 Stalin put forward view that it was time for an all out attack on social democracy in Europe, labelled ‘social fascists’, unclear why the change to more aggressive, possibly because he was trying to pick a fight with Bukharin, control became tighter and strict discipline on communist parties in other countries, became tool for ‘top-down’ foreign policy.