R3.4 Government, Propaganda & Foreign Relations 1924-29

Question 1

What are the five main features that define Stalin’s style of government?

Answer 1

-Bureaucratic Centralism
-Divide and Rule
-Continuing Lenin’s Legacy
-Fear
-Loyal Supporters

Question 2

What is bureaucratic centralism

Answer 2

-When government is controlled from the centre, usually with one strong leader. Including central appointment of other party officials
-Evident in Stalins choice of Menzhinsky to lead new secret police

Question 3

How did Stalin use Bureaucratic centralism?

Answer 3

Under him, the central control of the economy was matched by central control of the government
The party leadership controlled the appointment of key bureaucratic positions down to an even local level

Question 4

How did Stalin use divide and rule?

Answer 4

-Stalin brought people into favour, but if they grew too powerful he encouraged their rivals to ring them down
-Example Yezhov’s rise and fall

Question 5

How did Stalin Continue Lenin’s Legacy?

Answer 5

-He positioned himself as Lenin’s heir and the chief of interpreter of Stalin’s wishes, Stalin also responded to any challenge by showing how Lenin’s words supported him

Question 6

How did Stalin use Fear?

Answer 6

-The role of the secret police, renamed OGPU in 1926, became more pervasive under Stalin than Lenin
-Fear permeated the imposition of Stalin’s policies, so example: Collectivisation forced through the extensive use of secret police

Question 7

How did Stalin use Loyal supporters?

Answer 7

-His ability as General Secretary to influence appointment of Party officials was key to his control over government
-Politburo, was filled with Stalin’s loyal supporters, who made decision that the Central Committee approved without question

Question 8

When was communism first seen in China?

Answer 8

-1911, Chinese Revolution saw overthrow of the emperor, instability intensified after death of Pres Sun Yat 1925
-Rival groups battled for power, including CCP and nationalist Guomindang GMD

Question 9

How did Trotsky respond to the CCP?

Answer 9

He supported the CCP and wanted to lead a proletariat revolution in China, believing another communist state as large as China would be another step forward for permanent revolution

Question 10

How did Stalin treat the CCP after coming into power?

Answer 10

-He didn’t think the CCP was strong enough to take control and worried about the threat an unstable china posed to USSR’s borders
-Not only this but CCP had unorthodox ideas about peasant revolutionaries, so he backed a bourgeoisie revolution led by the GMD, who had better financial backing

Question 11

What happened during the Bourgeoisie revolution that Stalin backed in China?

Answer 11

He urged the CCP to join with the GMD after which the CCP could start building up a proletarian revolution

Question 12

Did the alliance between CCP and GMD work?

Answer 12

No it failed to happen, and instead using the funding and military assistance from the USSR the GMD built an army to then violently annihilate the worker revolts and CCP members

Question 13

How was Stalin’s involvement in China treated in the USSR?

Answer 13

Party Congress of 1927 criticised Stalin for his actions over China, however Trotsky’s accusation of Stalin betraying communism lacked action and didn’t stick

Question 14

What are the three different sections of socialism in one country pre-1929?

Answer 14

-Concentration on Russian safety
-China
-Germany

Question 15

Explain Concentration on Russian safety pre 1929?

Answer 15

-Stalin’s main aim in foreign affairs was to keep USSR safe while developing domestic policies of building socialism one country
-However this wasn’t possible for the USSR to become completely isolated, due to instability in China and opportunities in Germany that Chicerin was eager to pursue
-Both Chicerin and Litvinov represented a moderate diplomatic imaged that reassured powers about doing business with the USSR, so Stalin saw them as important for maintaining positive Western Relations

Question 16

Explain foreign attitudes to China pre-1929?

Answer 16

-Relationship was strongly linked to the leadership struggle in the USSR
-Stalin was worried that an unstable China would threaten USSR borders, and knew that Trotsky supported the CCP, so he showed support for a GMD/CCP revolution which failed
-Stalin’s policies towards China shows how far his attitude towards foreign policy was rooted in determination to eliminate rivals, and paranoia/concern for safety of USSR. This was more important to him than spreading communism to other countries

Question 17

Explain foreign attitudes to Germany pre-1929?

Answer 17

-After treaty of rapallo signed 1922, USSR continued its good relationship with Germany, and German and Soviet ministers were committed to cooperation
-1926 saw the Treaty of Berlin, aimed to build a “trustful cooperation” between two countries
-Helped Stalin’s goal of keeping USSR safe by strengthening alliances (not getting on anyones bad side)
-Treaties gave USSR financial credits from German Banks, further supporting the idea Stalin focused on strengthening USSR

Question 18

How did Stalin treat the comintern from 1929 onwards?

Answer 18

-It had been a low priority for Stalin during the leadership struggle
However in 1929 he used it to launch an attack on social democratic parties in Europe, as he believed they were diluting the appeal of communism.
-The comintern would in this phase ready itself by ensuring foreign communist parties purge themselves of weak elements, impose strict discipline and follow the party line handed down to them by the USSR

Question 19

What are the potential reasons for Stalin’s more aggressive approach after 1929 towards anti-communist parties?

Answer 19

-To attack Bukharin, who was opposed to this new focus
-A result of Stalin’s confidence in removing Trotsky from power
-Stalin revolution in foreign policy
-Connected to Stalin’s fear of challenges of power bases in other countries

Question 20

What was foreign attitudes towards Germany like post-1929?

Answer 20

When Stresemann died 1929, Stalin’s more aggressive approach to foreign policy and Hitler’s rise to power strained their relations in the 1930s

Question 21

1929 saw the beginning of Propaganda increase and Stalin cult, what was propaganda like?

Answer 21

-Stalin used this through images and slogans to launch campaigns and boost enthusiasm for his socialism schemes, for example the launch of the 1FYP in 1928, and acceleration of collectivisation in 1929 were both accompanied by images of happy productive workers

Question 22

What was Stalin’s image developed to be in 1929?

Answer 22

as the “Great Helmsman” who expertly steered the country through all dangers surrounding it during development, one soviet slogan for example was “Forward to socialism under the leadership of Great Stalin”

Question 23

Did Stalin use propaganda about Lenin?

Answer 23

Yes, he positioned himself as Lenin’s heir with slogans such as “Stalin is the Lenin of today”

Question 24

How did Stalin originall boost his cult in 1929?

Answer 24

By boosting the cult of Lenin to add to his own status. For exmaple, he embalmed and displayed Lenin’s corpse, acting as a shrine, thus made Lenin a godlike figure, and Stalin - Lenin’s disciple