A quick and easy summary of how Stalin's rule right before his death influenced the future of the USSR - perfect for all history students but particularly for those studying AQA A-level Tsarist and Communist Russia.
05.02.21 Stalin’s Death: How did Stalin rule in his final years influence the future of the USSR ?
Key Word: Presidium
The renamed Politburo in 1952. It was now directly chosen/ nominated by Stalin rather than elected.
Why do you think Stalin has gained a reputation for being little more than a Red Tsar?
- He went above the Party and no longer depended on it - Lenin and the other Tsars counted
on his ministers to help him with his rule, but Stalin believed he didn’t need them - greater
personal control
- The increased use of terror used for very minimal reasons - eg being purged for knowing
about a crime, without even committing it
- Previous leaders attempted reforms but Stalin didn’t listen to what the people wanted
Task 1: The renewal of the Cult of Personality
The portrayal of Stalin as “the world’s greatest living genius” (Waller, pg. 201) often ran counter to
the reality of Stalin the individual in the final years of his rule. Use page 201 (and your background
knowledge) to fill out this table
What was Stalin’s ‘real’ behaviour What image of him was cultivated What methods were used to
like toward the end of his life? by his ‘cult of personality’? enhance Stalin’s reputation?
- His behaviour became - Given a god-like status and - Propaganda was used to do
increasingly irrational - portrayed as the world’s this - his image as a god-like
many argue that a stroke greatest living genius (the figure was shown in
changed him, while others idea that he knew about newspapers, books, films
believed his personality everything and everyone) etc
traits became even older - Giant portrait of Stalin
with age suspended in the sky on his
- This didn’t stop him being 70th birthday to praise him
glorified as a leader - Many villages were
- He also became quite weak changed to be named after
in the last year of his life him eg Stalingrad
- Monuments of him
appeared all over the USSR
- Rewrote history to make
himself seem even greater -
built up a huge cult of
personality
- Even succumbed to his own
propaganda - eg during his
reclusive period, people
would tell him what they
believed he wanted to hear
rather than the truth
EXT: Do you agree with Karina Pipiya (a modern Russian sociologist) who argues that Stalin’s ENTIRE
reputation is ‘based on myth’?
Task 2: The Immediate aftermath of Stalin’s death.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller faizahislam. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
