High Stalinism Flashcards
What is high Stalinism?
high Stalinism is when Stalin’s authority + his Cult of Personality reach its pinnacle
his leadership was Undisputed
What did Stalin do to Wartime institutions? (Political High Stalinism)
increased party membership during lax Wartimes made the party unreliable
Therefore, Stalin dismantled Wartime institutions
→ 1945 = GKO dissolved and its functions return to commissirats
→ the military hierarchy was downgraded + Stlain became minister of Defence
→ high ranking officers were moved to inferior posts
What was Political High Stalinism?
Stalin became head of government + head of party
He relied on his private secretariat to bypass government + party to exert Direct central authority
the party was undermined
party Congress was supposed to meet every 3 years but was not held between 1939-1952
The Politburo was reduced to an advisory body that awaited instructions from Stalin
Who were the New men of the party?
By 1952, the party had 7 million members
they were from administrative ranks in industry so weren’t driven by personal commitment to Marxist ideology
these New men were careful and cautious
they were faceless Bureaucrats that didn’t act unless they had the backing of Higher authority
By destroying party autonomy, Stalin made the party into a chain of command more like a government
What was the Zhdanovschina?(Cultural High Stalinism)
Zhdanovschina was a cultural purge in 1946
It stressed conformity to socialist ideas and the Cult of Stalin as it feared westernisation due to war
everything Weston was Condemned as Bourgeoise + R=Superior
Why was the Adventures of a monkey Condemned?
the monkey was perceived as anti-soviet
Ivan the Terrible was criticised for portraying guards as thugs and not progressive soldiers
How was literature affected?
literature was Condemned for being influenced by Western thinking
novels and plays had to include praise of Stalin and treachery of the West
How was Western influence blocked?
foreign radios were jammed
only pro-Soviet foreign writers and critics were allowed to visit the USSR
