Stalin's Style of Government, Propaganda and Foreign Relations

Question 1

Stalin’s style of government was ‘Bureaucratic Centralism’, what is this?

Answer 1

Government controlled from the Centre, so the Central Committee, Politburo and other central appointed committees controlled everything,

Question 2

What was considered a huge crime against the Party under Stalin’s government? (It had been banned in 1921).

Answer 2

Factionalism.

Question 3

What did Stalin rely on to continue increasing the support he had in the Party?

Answer 3

Loyal supporters within the Party who owed their success to Stalin.

Question 4

What was Stalin’s entire system of government based on? (It’s a human emotion).

Answer 4

FEAR! Stalin’s supporters feared Stalin, they feared each other, there was fear of the secret police and the labour camps etc. It was all forced obedience based on fear.

Question 5

How did Stalin justify himself as the rightful successor?

Answer 5

He claimed he’d been Lenin’s closest comrade and was simply continuing his legacy.

Question 6

What did the Stalinist Regime’s propaganda show? What did his propaganda promote?

Answer 6

Happy and productive workers. It promoted collectivisation and socialist values.

Question 7

How did Stalin’s propaganda connect with the peasantry? (Couldn’t read).

Answer 7

It used imagery and icons that the peasantry were familiar with from the tsarist times.

Question 8

Why did a Lenin cult grow after Lenin’s death?

Answer 8

Because Stalin cultivated it. He painted Lenin as a God and himself as Lenin’s true successor. Everything he did was a continuation of Lenin.

Question 9

What was Stalin’s original focus when it came to foreign policy?

Answer 9

He wished to improve domestic affairs in Russia. He supported the ‘Socialism in One Country’ approach.

Question 10

What were Stalin’s original thoughts on the Comintern?

Answer 10

He saw it as a nuisance and a reminder of the failed attempt to spread ‘permanent revolution.’

Question 11

Who were Stalin’s chief representatives of foreign affairs when he first came to power?

Answer 11

Chicherin and Litvinov. ‘Polished diplomats.’

Question 12

Who did Stalin support when China showed signs of a socialist revolution?

Answer 12

It was expected that he’d support the Chinese Communist Party. But he instead supported the revolutionary-nationalist movement (Guomindang).

Question 13

Why did Stalin support the Guomindang rather than the Chinese Communist Party?

Answer 13

Because he believed that the Guomindang would bring stability to a key strategic area on USSR’s border. He also believed they were the strongest force in China.

Question 14

What did Stalin suggest that the Guomindang and the Chinese Communist Party do? Did this happen?

Answer 14

Join forces. No, there was bitter conflict.

Question 15

What actually happened in China after Stalin backed the Guomindang?

Answer 15

In March 1926, the Guomindang established a military dictatorship.
In 1927, over 30,000 striking workers were massacred by the Guomindang.

Question 16

What did Stalin do to aid the Guomindang?

Answer 16

He provided military aid and financial backing. He also forced the Politburo into accepting the Guomindang as a member of the Comintern.

Question 17

Who criticised Stalin’s ‘betrayal’ of the Chinese Communist Party? And why didn’t this criticism matter?

Answer 17

Trotsky and the Left Opposition.

Because Stalin’s Socialism in One Country had widespread support among the Party.

Question 18

When was the Treaty of Berlin? What was it a continuation of?

Answer 18

1926 and it was a continuation of the Treaty of Rapallo 1922.

Question 19

Who was the Minister of Foreign Relations in Germany and which Soviet Foreign Minister did he have good relations with?

Answer 19

Stresseman had good relations with Chicherin.

Question 20

What did the Treaty of Berlin agree?

Answer 20

• Maintenance of friendly diplomatic relations
• No economic boycotts which would affect either nation
• Neutral in conflict if one of the powers were attacked
• Treaty to be valid for 5 years at least

Question 21

Which financial benefits did the USSR receive from the Treaty of Berlin?

Answer 21

Large financial credits from German banks in June 1926

Question 22

When did Stalin’s view on the Comintern take a different approach?

Answer 22

1929.

Question 23

What were Stalin’s actions in China between 1925 and 1927 an example of? And why?

Answer 23

Socialism in One Country. He didn’t support the Chinese Communist Party and instead supported the Guomindang because the Guomindang’s success would provide stability to a strategic area of the Russian borders.

Question 24

What did Stalin’s view on the Comintern change to in 1929? Why?

Answer 24

That there should be a ‘revolution from above’ and that world capitalism faced a global crisis that could only be solved with the implementation of Socialism.
Changed because his grip on power strengthened and he wanted to achieve global dominance, he also wanted to challenge Bukharin.

Question 25

How did Stalin’s power over the Comintern get stronger?

Answer 25

He appointed loyal yes-man to run the Comintern for him. He also sent Soviet agents to spy on the Communist Parties in France, Germany and Italy.