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Flashcards on Khurshchev's reign
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AQA A-level history Russia Flashcards on Khurshchev's reign
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Stalin’s death created a power vacuum. This (combod w powerstruggles) weakened the political system & created instability.
The Cult of Stalin had to be dismantled for a new leader to
establish dominance/authority.
The success of Stalin’s gov meant that post-Stalin govs had less
Russia concerns abt industry, protection from external threats, etc, & so
could afford to make concessions.
Khrushchev Communism had become fairly well established in Russia, so
Power struggles following Stalin’s death there was no need for heavy coercive machinery, which could be
unpop.
Reasons for post-Stalin reform W Stalin’s death, ppl dissatisfied w his rule & ruthlessness may
rebel unless they saw +ve change.
[8] o Summer - prolonged uprising of prisoners in labour camps
in the Vorkuta region.
o June - uprising in East Berlin.
Suggests that the security apparatus was
unravelling.
a)
Beria’s control over the secret police created fears & led to the
creation of an anti-Beria alliance (incl Malenkov, Dukov).
Khrushchev’s memoirs suggest that he played a key role in organising
Russia the arrest – over several months, he negotiated w colleagues abt a
course of action.
Khrushchev b)
Beria’s arrest led to the arrest of many other leading police officials,
Power struggles following Stalin’s death most of whom were loyal to him. This placed the secret police under
the authority of the gov, so they were able to begin dismantling the
Beria's arrest coercive machinery of the Stalin era.
a) Details [2] Beria & 5 of his close associates were executed – left power vacuums
where Khrushchev could place his own ppl.
Consequences [5] Diluted the power of the secret police & benefitted Khrushchev.
o The police was split into the ordinary police, controlled by the
MVD & the secret police, controlled by the KGB.
o KGB become answerable to the Communist Party, specifically
Khrushchev as the leader (Serov) was one of his supporters.
In the absence of a will, the main contenders for leadership
held a meeting w 20 politicians from the Presidium to decide
on roles.
Malenkov stayed as Secretariat & also became Chairman of
Russia the Council of Ministers. These were positions Stalin had held
since 1941.
Khrushchev Beria become head of a re-amalgamated ministry of internal
Reasons for Khrushchev’s rise to power affairs & state security (MVD), giving him control of the secret
police.
Allocation of roles When Malenkov resigned as Secretariat, Khrushchev obtained
[6] the role. This made him the leading figure in the party.
o Khrushchev was able to control who was appointed in
gov.
Beria’s control over the secret police created fears & led to
the creation of an anti-Beria alliance in the party leadership.
a)
Khrushchev presented himself as a down-to-earth activist prepared
to take up any challenge.
Contrasted w Malenkov who came across as colourless.
Russia b)
1954 - gained support from powerful ministries in charge of heavy
Khrushchev industry when he complained that Malenkov's 'New Course' was
starving them of funds.
Reasons for Khrushchev’s rise to power 1954-5 - Economic decentralisation – 11,000 enterprises that had
been under central control were transferred to republican gov. Freed
a) Khrushchev’s self-presentation [2] from the control of the Moscow ministries, party officials could
b) Khrushchev’s economic policies [2] c)
exercise more control over their activities.
c) Khrushchev’s agricultural policies [3] 1954 – Virgin land scheme – initially v successful.
By 1956, 300,000 ppl had migrated to the state farms established in
the new areas & started farming 36 million hectares of steppe land.
For the 1st time in Soviet history, agricultural production advanced
beyond the level reached in 1913.
, Panic concessions for self-preservation.
Fears of pop resistance meant they introd placatory measures.
o Pro-consumer policies (aka the ‘new course’).
1 Apr 1953 – 10% price cuts on food & clothing –
Russia lengthened queues & raised black market prices.
1953 output of consumer goods incr faster than
Khrushchev producer goods for the 1st time since the 1920s.
Power struggles following Stalin’s death o Political concessions - when Stalin died, 2mill ppl were in
prison. Amnesty for non-political prisoners sentenced to
How the concerns of the new leadership <5yrs as well as sick & aged prisoners – 1.2 mill released.
Stalin’s exploitative agricultural policies (collectivisation) meant low
informed early actions agricultural output & famines.
o Tax on private plots reduced.
[10] o 7x incr in the av price the gov paid for grains from collective
farms.
o Output rose, esp on private plots that produced most of the
country's potatoes, eggs a& meat.
a)
25 Feb 1956, addressed to the 20th Party Congress
Most members of the Presidium supported dismantling the Stalinist
apparatus of terror, but many had taken part in the purges & were reluctant
to probe too deeply.
Russia In the secret speech, Khrushchev criticised Stalin’s elevation above the party,
use of coercion, terror, purges, ignorance of the country’s problems & cult of
Khrushchev personality.
He didn’t criticise Stalin’s agricultural policies, incl the use of collectivisation.
Power struggles following Stalin’s death Khrushchev believed that once the stain of Stalinism was removed, the Party
would inspire loyalty among the ppl.
The secret speech b)
The attack on Stalin destroyed the faith of many in the infallibility of the party
a) Details [5] & its leadership.
Set the stage for de-Stalinisation.
b) Consequences [5] Provoked rebellions in Poland & Hungary (led to the Hungarian uprising).
Damaged relations w China as they still admired Stalin.
Triggered a series of events that led to the anti-Khrushchev alliance taking
action - the Presidium voted Khrushchev out but were unable to arrest him
b/c his supporters incl the head of the army (Zhukov) the KGB (Serov).
Khrushchev played a key role in planning Beria’s arrest.
o The removal of Beria left Khrushchev w only 1 major
opponent & meant the Secretariat became the most
Russia influential body in gov.
o KGB become answerable to the Communist Party,
Khrushchev specifically Khrushchev as the leader (Serov) was one of
his supporters.
Reasons for Khrushchev’s rise to power Sep 1953 – Khrushchev became 1st Secretary (i.e. head of the
Secretariat), allowing him to place followers in key positions.
Khrushchev’s actions to replace o He appointed supporters as local Party bosses, who then
opponents w supporters took seats on the Central Committee.
o By 1956, 1/3 of the Central Committee were his
[7] supporters.
Central Committee members (incl many supporters of
Khrushchev, e.g. Serov) demanded to take part in discussions abt
leadership after Khrushchev was voted out of the Presidium.
a)
Abolished tuition fees (introd by Stalin) for 2ndary & higher
education.
The workday was shortened & holiday entitlements were introd.
Russia 1956 – began reforming the wage system.
o In 1946 the lowest salaries in the highest 10% were 7.24x
Khrushchev larger than the highest salaries of the bottom 10%.
Domestic reform
o By 1968, the figure was 2.83x.
1957 - Khrushchev launched a plan to build cheap, functional apt
Social reform buildings (WWII had destroyed a lot of housing) – reduced severe
overcrowding.
a) Successes [8] o From 1957 the country built on av >2mill housing units/
b) Limitations [1] yr.
o Ppl were able to move from crowded communal appts to
individual ones.
b)
The anti-religious campaign began in 1959 - mass closures of
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