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Summary Khrushchev Notes - Russia and its Rulers OCR A-Level
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Summaries on power, economy and foreign relationsPower Structure - 1924 authoritarian party in control, under Stalin he centralised control of
the party (purges), absolute authority 'Bureaucratisation, under Khrushchev in destalinisation
there is an attack on bureaucracy, position in 1964 is authoritarian party control
The economy - 1924 backwards industry and agriculture, stalin emphasis collectivisation and
the growth of industry but this leads to worse living standards, Khrushchev wants to improve
this with a focus of diversification and consumer goods, but his policies fail and by 1964 back
to backwards industry and agriculture
Foreign relations - 1924 internationally isolated West dislikes new communist system (Pulled
out of WW1 and refusing payments), Stalin main aim was defence of the USSR with fear
that democratic west and abandonment of international revolution - but threat actually comes
from Fascist west - The abolition of Comintern - coordinates activities of all other communist
parties around the world, sign that Stalin willing to work with Western allies, accept the
existence of the capitalist and will no seek to destroy each other, under Khrushchev
coexistence but position in 1964 after the Cuban missile crisis ends this
Why were Khrushchev’s opponents unable to stop his rise to power? -
29/03/22
Stalin does not name a successor, so similar to Stalin's rise to power there is a
collective rule followed by a power struggle which leads the Khrushchev’s rise
What reasons can you identify for his rise to the Politburo?
How Khrushchev eliminated the six rivals:
Beria (Head of MVD) -
but Khrushchev could counter balance this power with with the Red Army,
Generals disliked Beria for his role in the Great Purge of the army in 1930s
and felt Ks war record gave him special authority because he had fought in
the great patriotic struggle unlike the other leaders
With support from army from Zhukov in june 1953 a contingent of tropps
surrounded Berias apartment, blocking and possibility of the MVD preventing
his arrest, he was taken to custody, tried and shot
Bulganin (Deputy Premier)
Bulganin subordinate to K
Many found it difficult to adapt without stalin and were confused by Ks attacks
Match 1958 - coerced into confessing that he had been party of the ‘anti-party’
group and was forced to resign - allows K to become head of party
,Malenkov (Soviet Premier)
Berias killing was one of few and was not to be repeated, from now on
political penalty was demotion or dismissal - this was one aspect of ‘the thaw’
- the relative easing of tensions an restrictions that set in following stalin's
death
This was due to Malenkov - argued the need for better relations with the
outside world and suggested attention to reign soviet living standards at the
expense of heavy industry - however his progessive thinking brought him no
political benefits
Found himself outmanoeuvred by K - he was no match for Ks strength of
personality and lacked his persuasive ways
K undermined Malenkovs position in the soviet system by attacking his
influence with Party members to criticise government ministers and their
policies
Malenkov publicly admitted in 1955 that he was to blame for the shortfall in
grain production, resigned his premiership and gave up contending for power,
he was replaced by Bulganin
Zhukov (army commander in Chief)
Had a particular admiration for K, it was on the strength of this that K could
enlist the army’s support
K played on internal jealousies within the high command and undermined the
position of his long standing supporter Zhukov
Zhulov accused of creating his own ‘cult of the individual’
Forced him to retire and replaced by Malinovsky as Commander-in-chief, now
it only remained to demote Bulganin
Malenkov, Moltov(Foreign minister) and Kaganovich (Deputy Premier) - ‘anti-party
group’ get politburo to vote to remove K, but K gets Central Committee to overrule it
and they all resigned from their posts
Can you identify similarities with Stalin’s rise to power?
Power struggle and period of collective leadership
Neither were named as successor and had the some position prior to being
leader
Considered an unlikely leader because he was less scheming than the others and
not obviously after the top job and had struggled in his rise to the party
What were the Seven Pillars of Stalinism ? - 19/04/22
Collectivisation
, Needed to stop peasants depriving towns of food as they had done 1923-29
during the Scissors and Procurement Crisis, also wanted large machinery to
release peasants to work in the factories
Abandoned the NEP
Forced requisitioning of grain and confiscation of land - distorted incentive
Caused a famine of 6 million people and 2 million ;class enemies deported to
gulags or exiled in siberia
Some believe that the famine was actually started deliberately to crush the
peasant ability to rebel
Industrialisation
Now that workers have steady supply of cheap food industrialisation could
gain momentum
Thought rapid industrialisation in view of the threats emerging around the
USSR - esp from Nazi Germany
Viewed NEP incapable of achieving the aim of catching up to other countries
he introduces a planned economy - series of 5 year plans
Heavy industry grew, but efficiency was low priority for central planning and
neglected other sectors
Living standards remained low, overcrowding, poor diet, long hours and
health hazards
Welfare was not a priority in planning
Centralisation of political power
By ending NEP he eliminated rival sources of power and resistance to the will
of the central authorities - removes private space in economy
In theory the USSR was a federal democratic state - 1936 constitution - but in
reality it was governed centrally from Moscow, with each republic and region
having only a nominal, de facto theoretical say in the decision making process
People who objected gov ‘enemies of the people’ were punished
But there was some bearing on the events at the top - chaotic and confused
administration in which local elites ‘the little Stalins’ interpreted vague
instructions and ambiguous targets to suit their own interests - fabricated
things, bribes etc.
Debate on whether the system was fully totalitarian - chaotic administration
system rendered the USSR one of ‘inefficient totalitarianism’
The purges and the Great Terror
Terror is blamed for many of the USSR’s failured - e.g. pressure on factory
managers to fulfil targets meant that they shielded awat from risky innovation
and purge of the military had a devastating effect on the USSRs early
performance in WW2
The cult of personality
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