Stalin's rise to power and dictatorship Flashcards
Lenin’s struggle for power (i)
Lenin passed away in January 1924 after suffering from several strokes.
Previously, in 1922, Lenin had written a Political Testament regarding the future of the Soviet political direction whereby he recommended Leon Trotsky as his successor. Lenin also stated that Stalin should be removed from his position as he claimed that he did not always know the best way to handle his power and that he should therefore have less of it.
However, the other Bolshevik leaders found Trotsky too overpowering and did not want him to become their leader. They therefore kept the details of Lenin’s Political Testament from Trotsky
Lenin’s struggle for power (ii)
In 1924, Stalin sided with Kamenev and Zinoviev and ruled the Soviet Union with them as a committee. Kamenev and Zinoviev were considered to have left wing ideas within the party such as being against the New Economic Policy (NEP).
Once Stalin had gained power through the support of Kamenev and Zinoviev, he conspired with those on the right wing side of the party to eradicate Kamenev and Zinoviev. He began to criticise rapid industrialisation and ganged up with those that supported the NEP such as Bukharin and Rykov.
Once Stalin had got rid of any left wing competition by siding with the right, he returned to his position on the left, and turned on right wing members such as Bukharin and Rykov. Stalin therefore eradicated major competition and was able to officially take control in 1928
The emergence of Stalin as a leader of the USSR
Although Stalin was General Secretary from 1922, it was not until 1928, when Stalin had eradicated all ‘old’ Bolsheviks from positions of power, that he became the sole leader of the Soviet Union.
He believed that for Communism to succeed it had to be strong and structured within the Soviet Union first as this would then show the rest of the world how effective the system was.
The Communist Party was thus made the only legal political party in Russia.
Stalin was able to fill the party with loyal supporters he had gained from being General Secretary. In doing so he isolated older Bolsheviks who opposed him until they felt forced into resignation or were dismissed
The purges (i)
Between 1934 and 1938, Stalin eliminated anybody that he considered to be a threat in what was known as the ‘Great Terror’.
During this period, citizens were arrested, tortured and shot. It affected all sectors of Soviet society and it is estimated that approximately 7,000,000 people ‘disappeared’ at the hands of the purges during this time.
This included approximately 500,000 party members who were either killed, tortured or sent to Gulags, labour camps, set up in new cities such as Magnitogorsk which had awful working conditions. Likewise, Stalin would purge any writer or artist that did not produce work to his approval. Managers of industrial and collective farms who did not meet their unrealistic targets were purged. The intelligentsia also faced persecution as Stalin felt threatened by scientific experts and engineers whose ideas he did not understand. Moreover, many of the top Commanders of the army were purged and 90% of the Red Army’s Generals were assassinated between 1937 and 1938
the purges (ii)
The public had to be extremely careful about voicing any negative opinions on the Soviet Union, Stalin or the Bolsheviks in case a neighbour, co-worker or member of family reported them to the secret police (the NKVD). The ‘knock on the door’ resulted in hundreds of thousands of Soviets being shot, sent to Gulags or Northern Siberia, many of whom had no idea what they had been accused of.
Those that had been imprisoned by the purges were sent to work in labour camps set up in new cities such as Magnitogorsk which had appalling working conditions. These cities had been built as part of the 5 year plans and rapid industrialisation during which time a lot of slave labour was used.
Stalin also orchestrated show trials throughout the 1930s which ‘showed’ up opposition for their ‘wrongdoings’ and served to eradicate any political opponents. Those put on trial included old Bolsheviks who he saw as competition. Even loyal Bolsheviks such as Kamenev and Bulkharin were placed on trials and deemed traitors.
Show trials were famous due to the fact that they were heavily publicised by radio and film - it was a device used to show the public what would happen to them should they choose to go against Stalin
Socialist realism, censorship and control of religion
Social Realism, a style of art that glorified life in Soviet Russia, was the only form of artwork that was accepted by Stalin.
Stalin implemented ‘the revision of history’ during the 1930s when he began to rewrite 20th century Russian events. In doing this he eliminated all potentially threatening politicians from Russian history and rewrote his role in the road to Communism as crucial. This enabled him to exert his importance to the country.
Once he had ‘revised’ history, it was important to Stalin that no previous editions of Russian history remained. He therefore undertook censorship and had all previous editions of Russian history books altered or destroyed
Stalin viewed religion, and in particular Christianity, as a threat to Communism. As a result, Stalin had Church leaders arrested and places of worship were destroyed. Stalin wanted all Russians to worship him rather than a deity
The new constitution of 1936
The Soviet Constitution, also known as the Stalin Constitution, was adopted on the 5th of December 1936.
The Constitution redesigned the government and was described by Stalin as ‘the most democratic in the world’. It offered to the Soviet people freedom of speech, religion and assembly.
However, this did not come to fruition due to the fact that the Constitution also declared that the Party came before all else, limiting anyone to the true freedom of ideas.
The Constitution was therefore not very democratic as there was an overriding emphasis that the party had to be protected and was all important. This was monitored by the NKVD just as before.
It largely just served as a piece of propaganda.
The Cult of Stalin
Stalin developed and spread a cult of personality as he wanted to be known as the wisest man of the 20th century. In doing so, he limited the possibility of anyone doubting his policies.
Stalin expected to be worshipped and for the entire country to be obedient to him. He therefore made sure that propaganda that depicted himself as the hero and leader of the people, who was kind and caring and admired by all, was publicised all over the Soviet Union. This included sculptures where he was made to look younger and healthier than he was, and paintings where he was often shown greeting workers and opening factories to show his success as the leader.
summary
After Lenin passed away in January 1924, Stalin eradicated major competition and officially took control in 1928.
Between 1934 and 1938, Stalin eliminated anybody that he considered to be a threat in what was known as the ‘Great Terror’.
Stalin orchestrated show trials which ‘showed’ up opposition for their ‘wrongdoings’ and served to eradicate any political opponents.
Social Realism, a style of art that glorified life in Soviet Russia, was the only form of artwork that was accepted by Stalin.
Stalin implemented ‘the revision of Russian history’ during the 1930s when he began to rewrite 20th century events.
The Soviet Constitution, also known as the Stalin Constitution, was adopted on the 5th of December 1936.
Stalin developed and spread a cult of personality as he wanted to be known as the wisest man of the 20th century.
