History - Late Russia Flashcards
Why could Stalin win the election?
- He was politically smart and logical
- He had been a loyal member of the Bolsheviks for over 20 years
- He was uncontroversial and only wanted socialism in one country
- He was good at building public support
- He was general secretary, a powerful position in the party as he controlled the membership of the party and slowly filled it with pro Stalin supporters and sacked all the Trotsky supporters so he would win votes.
Why wouldn’t Stalin win the election?
- Not very intelligent
- Not an inspiring speaker
- Not well known to the public
- Lenin spoke out against Stalin, and the people practically worshipped Lenin and trusted and respected his judgement
Why could Trotsky win the election?
- He had the Red Army, so power
- He was a brilliant writer and speaker
- He was good at organising for example he led the Red Army to victory
- He was highly recognised and well known
- He believed in helping other communists
Why wouldn’t Trotsky win the election?
- Wanted Socialism all around the world
- He was arrogant
- He ignored those who he believed to be stupid
- He wouldn’t get involved in alliances or political in fighting
- He wasn’t trustworthy as he was a previous Menshevik
- He has extreme views
- People feared he would become a dictator due to his harsh treatment of soldiers
What was Lenin’s testament, and what was in it?
It was a book that Lenin wrote before he died, in which he stated that Trotsky should be the new successor. He further warned and expressed his concern towards Stalin and his growing power, and detected dangerous aspects of Stalin’s personality.
What happened at Lenin’s funeral and why was it significant?
- Trotsky fell ill so went to rest before the funeral, and asked Stalin to send someone to wake him when it was time to go. Stalin didn’t send anyone.
- Lenin’s funeral happened, and the public began to question Trotsky’s loyalty as he wasn’t present. He lost support.
- Stalin gained trust and support, as he himself personally helped to carry Lenin’s coffin, and visibly was upset at the funeral.
What is the cult of the personality?
The glorification of a leader as a godlike super-being.
How did the cult of the personality portray Stalin?
It shows him as:
- Wise
- Smart and knowledgable
- Powerful
- The true successor of Lenin
- In control
How did Stalin control Russia?
Secret Police (NKVD) - They would deport to the goulaks or kill anyone who spoke against or the way he ran Russia. This put fear into the public and made them become loyal. Stalin also targeted many main political powers who opposed him, anyone with high intelligence or high education such as doctors and writers, for fear that they would have to power and intelligence to create parties, rebellions and rise against and potentially overthrow him. He also removed 90% of the army generals for the same reason.
The Cult of the Personality + Propaganda - This made the Russian people believe he was god-like, and thus they became unconditionally loyal to him, respecting him in the highest forms. People believed he could do no wrong, and never wanted to disagree with a “God like” figure such as him. They believed he was a good person and leader.
Censorship - this enforced the cult of the personality, as it limited what the people of Russia could see, they only saw what Stalin wanted them to see. This kept his flawless image in tact and prevented anyone realising the truth and trying to overthrow or rebel against him.
Labour Camps - The Gulaks, another fear factor, helped as no one wanted to be sent there so the public would obey to the rules and do what they were told. It further proved that Stalin didn’t have empty threats.
One political party - he was the only political party, and this prevent any uprising or elections against his favour, keeping him in power.
What happened in the purges and how did they affect the Russian people?
- Anyone who was suspected of being Anti-Stalin or of opposition was either killed, jailed, or sent to the work camps in Siberia.
- Often there were no trials and no one was safe.
- The NKVD (secret police) would knock on your door around 4 am and take you away
- many people would report friends and family to show loyalty to Stalin.
Why did Stalin introduce the 5 Year Plans? Why did he want to industrialise the USSR?
- To turn a backwards, third world nation which was over 50-100 years behind the western world, into an industrial and modern superpower. This was also helpful as Russia felt threatened by the western world as they were all anti communist.
- It would give Russia electricity and modern farming techniques as apposed to the current medical ones with mainly manual labour.
- To prove to the western world that communism was a successful way of ruling a country, and better than the western capitalism
- To reinforce the cult of the personality, and the popularity of Stalin, as he was the one to make Russia great. This would make many trust and respect him.
What was Agriculture like in the 5 year plans?
There was better farming equipment, and machinery increase. So less peasants were needed for manual labour, so they went to work in the factories in the cities.
Much more food was produced for Russia, as the machines were significantly better and more efficient than people.
What was the Gosplan?
- The Gosplan was a state planning agency
- It determined what should be produced in the 5 year plans, and where and when it should be made.
- It also set the targets for specific factories, and set a time schedule for the 5 year plans.
How did the 5 Year Plans work? (Targets and enforcement of targets)
- Each factory was set a production target which it HAD to meet, and individual targets per person were also set.
- Failure to meet individual targets resulted in punishments such as food rations, imprisonment all the way to death and labour camps.
- Meeting the targets resulted in rewards such as cars and houses, and pay rise was given. There was often promotions too.
- There was propaganda to influence people to try hard to work and meet their targets, for the “Good of the USSR”.
- Many workers willingly worked, believing what they were doing was beneficial for the future of the USSR and the transformation of Russia.
- Specialists from other countries such as USA and Britain were brought in to help the production of industry, however they were treated as expats, and had a good lifestyle.
Who was Alexei Stakhanov and what was his significance?
ALEXEI STAKHANOV was said to have moved 102 tons of coal, which was 14X the normal targeted amount. He was made a national hero, and was celebrated and set as an example for others. It was a myth by Stalin to encourage people to work harder as someone had made the impossible so so could they, when in reality ALEXEI was helped by fellow “stakhanovites” to move the coal.
Why were the 5 Year Plans a success?
- Moscow metro built
- Magnitogorsk, the industrial city, built
- Dniepe dam built
- New factories built, and Agricultural advance such as tractors in the farms and other machinery increasing efficiency
- Russia took pride in the plans and became motivate to improve the country
- It helped the USSR defend themselves in WWII against Hitler
- Coal and Iron Ore production doubled
- Electricity was available in almost every house in the country
Why were the 5 year plans a failure?
- The majority of the work force was farmers who had been moved into the city, so they were inadequate and unskilled.
- The work was substandard as there was so much they had to do and the targets event were unrealistically high.
- Many workers died due to labour camps, hard, forced manual labour, overworking, exhaustion and dangerous work
- Not all the targets were met
- The punishments were too severe, and killed many workers
- Accidents were common due to bad conditions. Life expectancy decreased
- Force labour caused hatred towards Stalin
- Some factories overproduced, some underproduced, inefficient system
What was Collectivisation and what did it entail?
- It encouraged peasants of the community to put all of their land, tools and animals together, and share it on one farm.
- The amount of work and profit would be split between them
- A committee would be formed between them and they would decide who ran the farm and who did and received what.
- They would be “encouraged” (forced) to sell the grain and crops to the state for very low prices, for agricultural machinery in return making their farm more efficient
What was another name for a collective farm?
A Kolkhoz
What were the peasants thoughts on Collectivisation?
- They did not like this as they wanted their independence, instead of being controlled and told what not to do.
- They didn’t want to give up all that they owned, have to work every day and share everything
- Only the poorer ones were happy as it meant they got more
- Some peasants worked harder than others, but got the same pay etc which was not fair
- Richer peasants lose more than poorer peasants
- Unsure if they will have enough food as it is rationed out and everyone gets the same, same happens with the money
Why was Collectivisation introduced?
- In the late 1920’s, there was a good crisis and peasants were hoarding and holding grain, as the buyers wouldn’t pay enough for it. This meant there was little food in the towns and the cities.
- There were lots of rations etc so Stalin had to do something, so he seized the land and blamed the peasants for holding land.
- The peasants controlled grain and land under the New Economic Policy, so to gain land Stalin introduced the new policy of Collectivisation.
- So stalin could gain control of the peasants
- To increase food production to increase Trade and better the Russian economy
What was Dekulakisation?
The process where kulaks were labelled the enemy of the state, this had to be removed.
The government would “brainwash” young and impressionable children into reporting kulaks.
The kulaks were made out to be monsters, and demonic figures and lower class. They were either shot or sent to labour camps.
What was the result of collectivisation?
- The peasants had a fierce resistance to collectivisation, and refused to hand over crops and cattle, rather burning houses and possessions than handing them over to the state.
- There were many armed resistances and riots, that had to be put down. It got so bad that in March 1930 Stalin called for a temporary halt due to how he thought there would be a lack of crops and food for the summer
- Due to the agricultural damages there was a famine, and in 1932-33 there were also droughts. this lack of food left over 13 million people starving to death. This famine meant that Stalin had broken them and now controlled them.
- However, food was still being expected by Stalin for the city, so to increase trade he decided to seize the grain by force (Grain Requisitioning) so there was little left for the peasants who grew it.
What was the treatment of women like under Stalin?
- ) In 1935 Stalin lowered legal age to 12 for responsibility. This meant 12 year olds could be tried as adults, and receive adult punishments such as the death penalty.
- ) 1936 Divorce became more expensive, and both parties had to agree to the divorce for it to happen
- ) Abortion was banned in 1936. People were put off abortions through horror stories in the newspapers and illegal abortions did occur, however the birth rate also grew from 25-31 per 1000 per year.
- ) Husbands who force wives to have an abortion were put in court and tried for illegal abortion with full media coverage.
- ) Child maintenance rose, which encouraged marriage and discouraged divorce as absent parents would lose a large part of their wage.
- ) Homosexuality was made illegal to promote heterosexual lifestyle (i.e more babies)
- ) Women who had 6 or more children were paid 2000 roubles per year for five years as a state reward to encourage child birth.
- ) Most large factories set up crèches (like nurseries) so mothers could work whilst their children were looked after. Children were also taken to the park in good weather whilst the mother worked.
