Theme 1- Brezhnev Flashcards
Who was Leonid Brezhnev?
A party man who was seen as a safe pair as hands. It was sign of the party reasserting itself over the leadership. Initially Brezhnev was one of a group of leaders but as Khrushchev had done before him, Brezhnev moved to consolidate his hold on power.
What was Brezhnev cautious of doing?
Brezhnev was aware that Khrushchev had been removed because he had lost the trust of his colleagues, so he was cautious to avoid making the same mistake. Potential rivals within the Politburo were sidelined.
How would you sum up Brezhnev?
It is easy to underestimate Brezhnev. He was at best mediocre, if not talentless, as his rivals often claimed. However he was not without charm; his affable personality allowed him to get his way without causing conflict. Ultimately, he was an ‘organisation’ man and his skills at placating competing party leaders were good enough to give the Politburo a sense of unity.
What did Brezhnev quickly do in his reign?
Brezhnev quickly reversed those aspects of de-stalinisation that had upset the party as many of Khrushchev’s reforms were labelled ‘hare-brained schemes’ and abolished.
What reforms did Brezhnev do?
- The division of the party into agricultural and industrial sections were dropped.
- Limits on tenure of office were removed
- the guiding principles were going to be collective leadership and ‘trust in the cadres’. The chief result of was these principles was that most Party Officials even those at the top, would enjoy long, unbroken tenures in their job. Membership grew from 6.9 million in 1953 to 17 million by 1980.
- There would be no more subjectivism, that is decisions would no longer be made by the leader without consulting the party.
- The soviet constitution of 1977 enshrined the right of citizens to criticise incompetent and ineffective party secretaries. Article 6 of the constitution asserted the primacy of the Communist Party over the state. This was referred to as ‘mature socialism’
What did most of Brezhnev’s reforms do?
These moves brought an end to the most radical aspects of de-stalinisation. There was limited recognition in the centenary in 1979 of Stalin’s birth. Yet there was no return to the widespread use of terror under Stalin. Brezhnev preferred to ignore ‘the Stalin question’ in the name of stability.
What did Brezhnev like in terms of his power?
Brezhnev liked the tappings of power. He awarded himself numerous medals for rather dubious achievements. He also enjoyed some of the luxuries life at the top could offer.
Did Brezhnev exercise more or less personal power than Stalin and Khrushchev?
Despite the symbols of power, Brezhnev exercised less personal power than any of the leaders. He lacked the ability to deal with detail, often leaving this to others. He preferred to trust party comrades and let them get on with their jobs. The resulting stability made Brezhnev a lot more popular but also led to stagnation.
What was wrong with the party structure by 1980?
By 1980, the party structures which had developed under Stalin, were entrenched so that the system was difficult to change even when there was the will to do so.
What had the party structure developed into under Stalin?
Under Brezhnev, the party leadership had developed into an oligarchy
Oligarchy
Rule by small elite who govern in their own interests. It is often applied to the way the Communist Party ruled the USSR under Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko.
What did the system of promoting people within the party lead to?
It illustrated the development of oligarchies. During the 1970s, promotion often involved moving to another part of the Soviet Union to gain experience and spread new ideas. Under Brezhnev, promotions were usually made from within the ranks of the local party membership after serving time in a junior position. This move severely limited innovation and change within the system.
What did the promotion system allow party officials to do?
This system also allowed corruption to go unnoticed, particularly in the remoter parts of the USSR.
What did the ‘cotton affair’ mean?
The ‘cotton affair’ only exposed under Gorbachev, resulted in millions of roubles being claimed for non existent cotton as officials fiddled the figures. Nepotism was also rife as party officials ensured jobs were given to family members.
Gerontocracy
Rule placed in the hands of increasingly old- elderly people. Membership of the Central Committee illustrated this development. By 1984, 7 of the 11 members of the politburo were over the age of 70. Practicalities were changed to reflect this, politburo meetings only lasted around 40 minutes.
What was Brezhnev’s final years of his reign like?
His final years were marked by an increasing loss of control that was symbolised by the lack of control he had over his family. His daughter was involved in an affair with a diamonds smuggler. One of the people with a large file on Brezhnev was head of the KGB, Andropov, who the politburo chose as Brezhnev’s successor.
CONCLUSION: what happened after Stalin’s death?
The soviet government changed from a personal dictatorship based largely on terror to an oligarchy of self-serving interest groups within the Communist Party.
What happened as a result of de-stalinisation?
As terror was reduced under Khrushchev’s de-stalinisation, the party had to rely on other more subtle methods of control.
What was the dominant mechanism to tying the people to the state?
Was to ensure that its ever-growing personnel gained rewards in the form of secure jobs, status and privileges. As the system grew, those within it wished to preserve a system that worked for their benefit.
