Unit 1: TO WHAT EXTENT DID THE NATURE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY RULE CHANGE AFTER THE DEATH OF STALIN UP TO 1985? Flashcards
Summarise how the nature of the Communist party changed after Stalin’s death.
Stalin died in 1953
After Stalin’s death change would have to come from the leadership.
Khrushchev’s reforms to remove features of the Stalinist system threatened to reduce the power of party officials.
Brezhnev left party officials to go about their responsibilities which provided stability but also stagnation.
Officials were keen to preserve their own status, therefore the system became inflexible.
Who was Beria?
Formed a collective leadership in the presidium with Malenkov and Khrushchev.
However, it was a worry that the use of terror would increase because he was the head of the secret police - not the case as an Amnesty issued March 1953 to release prisoners from labour camps including the Kremlin doctors.
In June, he was executed for apperantly being a British spy - this was meant to restore socialist legality.
Rumoured to be apart of the doctor’s plot
Aimed to suppress the actions of the secret police
How did Khrushchev outmanoeuvre his opponents by 1956?
Became First secretary of the Communist party in September 1953.
Removed those elected to the central committee so the new members were his supporters.
What was Khrushchev’s secret speech about?
accused Statin of developing a cult of personality
accused Stalin of using unnecessary terror
accused Stalin of making economic mistakes.
promoted the need for de-Stalinisation.
What were key features of de-Stalinisation?
Decision-making was decentralised by giving more power to organisations at regional level.
Party and government officials no longer faced prison for failing to meet targets. 2 mill political prisoners released from camps between 1953-60.
The secret police were brought firmly under party control; They could no longer be used by an individual to further their own interests.
What was the Anti party group?
1957
An opposition led by Malenkov and Molotov in response to Khrushchev’s moves to decentralise decision-making
tried to persuade the central committee to ask for Khrushchev’s resignation.
The central committee rejected the move because it consisted of Khrushchev’s supporters.
Power would go to local councils = reduce the power of party leaders
What were the reforms Khrushchev made to the party?
In 1962, he divided the party into agricultural and industrial departments, this reduced the power of party officials.
Introduced a three year limit for being a party official. = made the party more responsive to new ideas, posed a threat to the power of party officials.
Major purge of local party secretaries
What were the contributing factors that led to Khrushchev’s downfall?
In 1964, dismissed by central committee
Economic mistakes - the Virgin Lands Campaign 1953, which aimed to increase agricultural production by cultivating previously uncultivated lands in Siberia and Kazakhstan. While the campaign initially saw some success, it eventually faced difficulties due to inadequate infrastructure, poor planning, and ecological challenges. The results of this were unsustainable, leading to food shortages and a decline in overall agricultural productivity.
The humiliation of backing out of the Cuban missile crisis 1962 - Khrushchev’s decision to withdraw Soviet missiles from Cuba was perceived by many within the Soviet leadership as a sign of weakness. The Soviet Union had initially deployed missiles to Cuba as a response to the presence of American missiles in Turkey and as a strategic move to balance power. Backing out damaged Khrushchev’s reputation and portrayed him as lacking strength in the face of the United States. This caused opposition from withinthe party.
Failure of his agricultural policy led to a disastrous harvest in 1963 - The agricultural failure and subsequent food shortages damaged Khrushchev’s credibility as a leader. He failed to keep his promises of increased agricultural production and improved living standards so the public lost confidence in him.
How did Brezhnev move to consolidate his hold on power?
Political rivals within the politburo were sidelined for example
Podgomy was given a ceremonial role of head of state
Shelepin was tasked with foreign affairs.
How did Brezhnev reverse the aspects of de-Stalinisation?
The divisions of the party into agricultural and industrial sections were dropped
Limits on tenure of Office was removed
The introduction of a collective leadership = This meant that Brezhnev would let the party who served in official posts get on with their jobs without interference.
What did the Soviet constitution 1977 establish?
It established the right of citizens to criticise incompetent and ineffective party secretaries,
but posts within that both the party and government were filled by appointment rather than election.
Describe the growing political stagnation.
Under Brezhnev, the party leadership had developed into an oligarchy gerontocracy - by 1984, 7/10 members of the politburo were over 70yrs.
This was because promotions were made within the ranks of the party which limited innovation and change in the system.
Corruption went unnoticed - cotton affair was where millions of roubles were claimed for non-existent cotton as officials tampered with figures.
