Theme 1- Stalin Flashcards
Who were Stalin’s political opponents during the power struggle? 1924-1928 ( 5 people )
- Trotsky
- Zinoviev
- Kamenev
- Bukharin
- Rykov
How did Stalin’s position of General Secretary help him gain power and ultimately become head of the party? ( 4 bullet points )
- General Secretary co-ordinated day to day running of the party.
- He had access to over 26,000 files so could gain knowledge on his opponents.
- He was responsible of the agenda in meetings so could restrict to what they could talk about.
- He had the right to appoint people who supported him and his ideas.
What helped Stalin get to power?
Stalin used to his advantage a split in the party on issues within the party. Those on the left wanted to get rid of NEP whilst those on the right thought it would be good to keep it at least for the short term. Stalin remained in the middle where he could gain the most support.
What did Stalin use to remove NEP
He saw the views of those on the right going against his ‘Socialism in one country’ threatening to slow down any progress made in improving the economic base the Soviet Union and socialism.
‘Socialism in one country’
Stalin’s policy of modernisation through industrialisation, by utilising the resources of the Soviet Union.
How was Stalin’s style of leadership different to Lenin’s?
The collective leadership which Lenin used and was to be used after Lenin’s death was no more. Stalin had whittled away from his main rivals and by early 1929 he was in a dominant position.
How was his leadership style similar?
He was a skilled and manipulative politician but was also a product of the government system produced by Lenin. He represented the growing class of party bureaucrats who wished to maintain the privileges of their position.
How did Stalin increase his control over the party?
It was significantly increased by the purges he conducted on party members in the 1930s. Enemies of Stalin were disposed of using the apparatus of terror that Lenin created.
What instruments of terror did Stalin use?
- the party secretariat gathered information which could be used against enemies.
- The secret police ran labour camps called Gulags where victims of purges were imprisoned.
How was Lenin’s purges different to those of Stalin’s?
Purges by Lenin happened periodically under Lenin to root out undesirable elements. It usually involved handing back party membership and being expelled from the party, meaning it was non-violent. Nonetheless, it was no surprise that Stalin used the apparatus of Lenin to carry out the terror.
What was the chistka 1932-35?
It was a new purge of party membership following difficulties faced during the launch of the first five year plan.
Why did Stalin launch the Chistka?
Party officials were ignoring the party’s orders they received because they were wary of how quickly the policies were being implemented. The Chistka was designed to remove these officials to accelerate implementation of economic policy.
What effect did the Chistka have on the party?
By 1935, 22% of the party had been removed from their posts. It was a non-violent process but showed the mounting opposition to Stalin’s policies.
Was opposition real or imagined for Stalin?
The purges of the party in the 1930s became increasingly violent and key figures within the party were removed. The bizarre nature of these purges have led historians to believe that they reflect Stalin’s paranoid personality. Stalin to Khrushchev: ‘I trust nobody, not even myself’
What threat did Ryutin pose to Stalin?
Ryutin, a former party secretary, issued a document to party executives saying Stalin was creating a personal dictatorship and called upon some members to remove him from power. This was mostly due to the brutality that was used to enforce collectivisation.
How did the claims from Ryutin effect Stalin’s position.
At 17th party congress, the criticisms of Ryutin gained strength when the meeting was a supposed ‘Congress of victors’ celebrating the successes of the 1st 5 year plan. When they met, moderates put pressure to present this information, so that the pace of change could be slowed.
What did Stalin do after to counter the criticisms?
It was in this context of growing criticism that The Great Purge of 1930s took place.
The Great Purge
The term used to describe the wave of terror that Stalin used to remove enemies. The targets were so called enemies to the state and they were either sent to concentration camps or shot.
Show Trials
They were public trials of the leading enemies of the State. It was used as propaganda and would be used in cinemas. This way they could be used to justify their actions of key party members as well as a warning to others.
What key party members were showcased in show trials?
- Zinoviev
- Kamenev
- Bukharin
- Rykov
The soviet constitution 1936
Every citizen was given the right to vote as bourgoise classes such as the kulaks and priests had been removed so there was no reason to deny people the vote.
What else did the constitution of 1936 allow?
Civil rights, freedom of press, religion and organisation, was allowed and there was also a guarantee of employment that contrasted the capitalist countries suffering from the great depression.
How did the Constitution help the communist party?
Democracy was imposed from above and limited by leadership and only candidates from the communist party were allowed to stand in elections.
What was the aim of the constitution?
It was directed at foreign governments and soviet citizens. It aimed to convince capitalist countries that the USSR had democratic credentials. This would make them good allies in the fight against Nazi Germany. The reality of the great purge convinced few observers of the Constitutions aims.
