the rule of stalin Flashcards
(19 cards)
what personality traits did stalin have
fuelled by a level of paranoia stalin believed no one could be trusted
his obession with power and psychopathic tendancies went hand in hand especially through the use of great terror
what were the abilities of stalin
as general secretary pf the communist party 1922 and leader of russia stalin showed he could manipulate situations to serve his wants and needs
stalin as a manager
from 1917 to 1922 stalin was the bolsehvik specialist manager of national minorities issue
he was a commander during the civil war
as general secretry he held the most senior of all management posts
by 1927 he controlled the party congress which allowed him to expel his main rivals from the party
stalin planned economic and social change
by jan 1924 stalin worked himself into power
who were the rivals of the bolshevik party
after the overthrow of the provisional government - a number of bolsheviks kamenev zinoviev and rykov called a coalition to be formed
the singing of the treaty of brest litovsk was opposed by the left, trosky
what was teh ideological battle
dispute over the NEP
demanded a more open democratic russia
the left under trotsky wanted a permenant revolution while the right emphasised need for socialism in one country
what was stalins tactics to overcome opponants
-he manipulated individuals to consolidate his power
the trokia (stalin, kamenev and zinoviev) successfully discredited trotsky who was replaced as commissar for war in jan 1925
kamenev and zinoviev turned on stalin and were both removed as general secretaries
trotsky kamenev and zinoviev formed a opportision group and were all expelled from the poltiburo
how did stalin use propaganda to consolidate power
use of slogans
peace, bread and land and all power to the soviets
cult of personality
remaining tsaritsyn to stalingrad
photographs depicting lenin as man of the people
newspapers and cinema - promote 5 year plans and collectivisation
stakhanovite movement
how did stalin use censorship to consolidate power
censorship was increased
anyone who wanted to write had to join union of soviet writers
high degree of censorship in ww2. radio airways were distorted newreports were fictionalised
newspapers had to promote concept of new soviet man- hardworking, law abiding, moral and supportive of communist party
how did stalin use repression to consolidate his power
growth of the police state
united state police administration (OGPU) was a secret police and instilled fear
to combat opposition to dictatorship NKVD created permanent form of terror. crucial in imposing purges
show trials - public trials of political rivals
purges - party members who failed to implement collectivisation. reduced party membership by a 10th
1930s party shed 1/3 of its members who resisted the pace of industrialisation
of 1996 members of party congress 1108 were executed within three years
gulags - over 40 million people sent to prison camps
What was collectivisation
idea of bringing a number of small farming units together to form bigger farms. idea that peasants would then be able to collaborate to produce as much food as possible
what was mass collectivisation
famine of 1927 promoted stalin to push for mass collectivisation
involved getting rid of the NEP
by 1930 stalin claimed 58% of all households had been collectivised
created wipespread opposition in peasants
by end of 1930 pace of collectivisation had slacked
how was collectivisation renewed
moved back to intensive collectivisation
about 50% of peasants brought together in pure collectives
peasants were allowed to keep a small plot of land
blocks of 40 farms were organised through motor tractor stations
what was the impact of collectivisation
by 1941 98% of all peasants households
67 million tonnes of grain in 1929 compared to 75 million tonnes in 1939 suggesting collectivisation was a success
still disliked by the peasants they were still seen to destroy local communities
what was dekulakisation
stalin saw collectivisation and dekulakisation as a part of the class war in the countryside
kulak houses were stripped of hidden wealth
clothing, food and fuel were confiscated and given to villagers
from beginning of 1928 to 1930 between 1 million and 3 million kulaks were deported 30,000 kulaks shot
what was the aims of staliin industrial policies
launch a war against russias tsarist past - he believed russia had failed to keep up with west
the development of heavy industry was key to expansion and modernisation of armed forces
industrialisation would be stimulates through setting targets which would be achieved over a 5 year period
first 5 year plan
covered 1928-1933 did not run its full course
due to government exaggerating achievements claiming the plans were so successful that the targets had been met ahead of scheduled in reality workers had struggled to meet targets
second five year plan
ran from jan 1933 to dec 1937
the signing of the non agression pact with nazi germany in august 1939 was partly a result of stalins wish to gain extra time to strengthen his forces to perpare for war. thus the gains fo five year plan were supplememented
what were the economic effect of stalins policies
under first two plans managers submitted false claims about production levels as they feared consequences of not achieving targets. this back fired as the next targets were higher
coal production increased from 35.5 million tonnes to 150 million tonnes in 1945
electricity increased from 5KWH to 43.3 KWH in 1945
significant increases in output of heavy industry and electricity industry took off
however consumer industries were neglected causing discontent
what were the social impact
some argue that society became more equal due to more access to housing heathcare and consumer items
expense of living under totalitarian regime that instilled fear amongst population
what was the political impact
demanded a centralised political system
little real political power was devolved to regional level
economic reform was used to control opposition
