socialism in one country Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is the theory of Socialism in One Country?
The idea that socialism can be built and sustained in a single country (Russia) without relying on worldwide revolution.
Who developed and promoted the theory of Socialism in One Country?
Stalin, especially after Lenin’s death and Trotsky’s marginalization.
How did the capitalist world respond once Stalin’s theory took hold?
Capitalist countries recognized Russia diplomatically and began commercial relations, provided Russia avoided revolutionary propaganda.
How did Stalinist diplomacy differ from Leninist diplomacy?
Lenin combined Soviet diplomacy with international revolution; Stalin prioritized national interests, sidelining international revolution.
What did Marxism traditionally believe sparked revolution?
Misery, hunger, and need — not the attraction of utopias elsewhere.
How did Socialism in One Country promote class collaboration?
By seeking economic deals with capitalist countries, Russia had to abandon active support for foreign workers’ struggles.
What earlier Russian movements shared similar nationalist-socialist ideas?
The Narodniki and the Social Revolutionaries, who believed the Russian Mir could inspire social justice without international help.
Why was the idea of economic self-sufficiency criticized?
Socialism, a stage beyond capitalism, depends on global division of labor; complete self-sufficiency is only feasible in primitive economies.
How did Stalinist policy affect international communist movements?
Communist parties increasingly pursued national interests, undermining international solidarity, as seen in China, Germany, and the US.
What shift in revolutionary leadership did Stalinism propose?
From the industrial West to the agrarian East, with Russia leading despite its backwardness.
What did Stalinists claim would happen by the end of the Second Five-Year Plan?
All classes would be liquidated, and Russia would achieve socialism.
How did Stalin’s pacifist stance contrast with Lenin’s views on disarmament?
Lenin saw arming the proletariat as essential for class struggle; Stalin promoted disarmament to gain peace and focus on internal goals.
What international organizations did Stalin bring Russia into?
The League of Nations and the Kellogg Peace Pact, signaling alignment with the capitalist world.
How did Stalin’s policies blur the line between communism and fascism?
Both adopted national socialism, self-sufficiency, state control, and class liquidation under state leadership.
Why was Stalin’s defensive military policy criticized?
It allowed enemies like Germany and Japan to build up their positions unopposed, leaving Russia vulnerable.
What organizational change did Socialism in One Country force on the Communist International?
It became a tool of Soviet national policy rather than an independent revolutionary force.
What international alternative emerged to oppose Stalinism?
The Fourth International, aiming to restore revolutionary principles.
What major shifts did Socialism in One Country bring to communist politics?
From world revolution to national defense, class struggle to class collaboration, and worker leadership to bureaucratic control.
