Opposition under Krushchev Flashcards
What evidence is there to show that dissent was not restricted to the intelligentsia?
-Novocherkassk working class uprising (1962)
–> Discontent caused by production quotas and increase in price of dairy and meat
What was the Novocherkassk uprising in response to?
-Discontent caused by production quotas and increase in price of dairy and meat
How did Krushchev initially deal with the Novocherkassk uprising?
1.Troops brought in –Killed 28 people
How in the end did Krushchev deal with the Novocherkassk uprising?
- Did not lead to mass arrests -> blamed officials instead
- > Increased wages and ensured proper food to workers
Overall how was Kruschev’s reaction to the Novocherkassk?
-Mixed reaction, unlike Stalin who would have been 100% repression
How typical was the Novocherkassk uprising?
- Not a dissident ( in opposition to party policy) movement
- Fake News - “it didn’t happen”
Atypical -amount of casualties
How was discontent of the workers dealt with?
-Do not clamp down on workers 100% –> Pacify instead.
=> low food prices + high wages even if it was unprofitable
-> Avoid discontent of workers
How was discontent of the the intelligentsia dealt with?
-Could’t money bribe intelligentsia
–> Employed spies and peer policing instead
-Mass terror had been abandoned
Why was there a rise of cultural dissidents?
-Censorship relaxed after the Stalin years
Why was Censorship relaxed?
-Krushchev wanted to assert his difference to Stalin
What Issues were raised by cultural dissidents?
Greater democracy, human rights
How did Cultural dissidents publish/ evade soviet censorship?
- tamizdat: Publish abroad -Substance of works relayed back through broadcasts
- Samizdat: Duplicating illegal material and passing around
What is an example of an underground dissident societies
‘The youngest society of geniuses’
Where was dissidency present in society?
Music, Art , impromptu public readings
What can be interpreted as opponents trying to get close to Krushchev before seizure of power?
Celebrating Kruschev’s 70th birthday –> presented with various gifts and honours
What happened in the events of Krushchev being ousted from power?
-taken to a meeting in the Presidium where former supporter voiced their criticisms of him
Why couldn’t Krushchev whip up popular support during being ousted?
-Muzzled Krushchev- denied him access to media
How was Krushchev’s retirement announced?
-resigned due to “ill health” . Only pravda cover the story
How did Krushchev embarrass Russia on Foreign policy?
- Backed down to U.S during Cuban Missile Crisis
- -> humiliating for Soviet Union on world stage.
How could the military be seen as a factor in Krushchev’s downfall?
-Offended military by reducing expenditure on conventional arms (focus nuclear)
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How was industry a factor in the fall of Krushchev?
-focus on consumer goods ( people thought heavy industry= neglected)
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How was Agriculture a factor in the fall of Krushchev?
-Failure of Virgin Lands –> Shortfall in food supplies –> forced grain import from USA. (humiliating)
How was decentralisation a factor for the downfall of Krushchev?
- Granting autonomy to local Economic councils
- -> upset central party members who lost control
-Krushchev’s demand of quadrennial election in the central committee threatened their influence –> caused bitterness towards Krushchev.
How was Krushchev’s personal rule a factor in his downfall?
-Embarrassing beh. e,g UN summit 1962 - shoe banging incident
- Nepotism: E.g son in law member of central committee.
- -> Ignored party bureaucracy : Organised trip to west Germany through his son in law.
How were Party reorganisations a factor in Krushchev’s down fall?
Shaked up Party bureaucracy: 2/3 of high up members in institutions were replaced.
–>61’ limit reduced to three terms –> disrupting party hierarchy
How did the Presidium view Krushchev?
-felt his Anti- Stalinism had gone to far
How did the peasants view Krushchev?
resented Disruptive and repeated interventions and the failure of his policies
