Changing Government in the Soviet Union Section I: Pages 636-643

2. This section is about: How Lenin began to transform Russia into the Soviet Union, focusing on government and economics. How Stalin took control after Lenin’s death, starting a dictatorship and a rule of terror in the Soviet Union. Changing Government in the Soviet Union Section I: Pages 636-643 A

3. We’ve already seen the man in the picture on pages 636/637. In the caption it asks: What does this poster tell you about the type of leader Lenin was? We should also read what’s on page 636. Look at the names on the timeline – do any look familiar? 1 A

4. Communists didn’t have it easy when the took control. Nobles and large landowners hated them (forced to give up their crops). People also were afraid of the government totally controlling their lives. Remember? It was the red Bolshevik communists fighting the white Mensheviks, who were backed by the U.S., Great Britain, and France. ……………….. The Soviet Union Under Lenin A

5. In that civil war • Hundreds of thousands had died. • Farms and factories closed. • People didn’t have jobs. • Millions died from hunger and disease. • Lenin took power when he promised the people peace, land, and bread. • After one more civil war, Lenin built a new system f government and a new economy A

6. Lenin set up 4 “republics” He changed Russia’s name: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He organized the communist party He wrote a new constitution (everyone had some rights and anyone over 18 could vote). All political power, means of production, and resources would belong to the workers and peasants – but the communist party kept control of the government. ……………………… Forming a New Government 2 A

7. 3 • The people didn’t immediately accept Lenin’s plan. • Lenin believed something was wrong with the people and he needed to make the people accept communism. • He did this in forced labor camps where people were sent to do work for the government. • Lenin also tried to get other people around the world to overthrow capitalist and democratic governments (none did at the time). A

8. Lenin’s economic plan didn’t work. By 1921, the government had the right to control large factories and industries – and also could force farmers to turn over products. Because of the bad working conditions, and government interference, no-one wanted to make anything the government might get. Russia even had to import food. …………….. A New Economic Plan 4 A

9. Russia seems to “like” making new plans, so Lenin did. • He eased up a little and started the N.E.P. (New Economic Plan). • People could start owning some land. • The government stopped taking food from farmers. • Peasants were allowed to sell products again. • Small factories and workshops were allowed to open again. • But large industries, banks, and foreign trade were still government controlled. • This helped Russia. Lenin died in 1924, but Russia’s economy was improving and they were starting to become a world power. A

10. Lenin’s Tomb • Lenin's Mausoleum still the resting place of the embalmed body of the founder of Soviet Communism since 1924, housed in a futuristic granite-cube building designed by Shchusev that stands on Red Square next to the Kremlin walls. Even today Lenin is still seen quite often, from the life his like "inspiring" statues that are still standing, in and around Russia. Lenin's tomb is right in the middle of Red Square, the red granite pyramid like structure with the name in Cyrillic "Lenin" on the outside. A

11. Lenin’s Tomb A

12. Trotsky: was a brilliant communist thinker, a leader of the 1917 revolution, and he was willing to use terror when “necessary.” Wanted worldwide revolutions against capitalism. Stalin: was secretary-general of the communist party who wanted to turn Russia into an industrial and military power. Wanted revolutions in “one country at a time” and wanted to build up communism in the USSR first. Joseph Stalin Takes ControlWhen Lenin died, Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky struggled to take control. But, they had opposing views on how to rule. A

13. Lenin had doubts about both Stalin and Trotsky. • He thought Trotsky might be too violent to run a country. • He thought Stalin was too rude to run a country. • Stalin outwitted Trotsky, made him look bad, and Trotsky lost most of his power. • Trotsky was exiled out of Russia (to Mexico). • That wasn’t enough for Stalin though – he had Trotsky killed in Mexico City (with an axe). A

14. Stalin has his own economic plans (no NEP). He started his “five year plans.” At first, most had to do with building up steel, oil, and machinery production. He began a command economy: where the government makes all the decisions about economics. Now, the government decided what was made, how much was made, and where goods would be sent to. …………………… Command Economy A

15. Five year plans were good and bad. • He expanded Soviet industry. • He built a lot of dams, canals, railways, steel mills, mines, and factories. • Steel, coal, and oil production increased. • More machines and equipment were made (including farm machines). • But he didn’t have a good overall plan of what to do with everything – sometimes there were surpluses and sometimes there were shortages. • For workers: still not too good – low wages, bad housing, work was long hours and hard work. 5 A

16. The NEP tried to make farming more efficient. Stalin took the land back again, and formed collectives (state owned farms). The state supplied the equipment and the people had to work together to meet the governments quotas (with amounts and prices set by the government). No-one like this (especially in the good farmland of the Ukraine), so... People would burn crops, slaughter farm animals, destroy tools and machine, begin uprisings against the government (who often responded with brutality). Agriculture A

17. 6 • Stalin wanted to go after the Kulaks (wealthy peasants). • He ordered millions of them killed or put in prison. • He took their land and food from them. His soldiers shot many of them – and left many others to starve to death. • Others were forced into the labor camps. • Stalin forced the Ukraine to give almost all their grain up for export (and then, about 8 million Ukrainians died of starvation). • None of this helped increase farm production. • It did increase the communist control of the country, and made peasants unable to do anything to improve their lives. A

18. Stalin turned the Soviet Union into a place that attempted to control every part of its people’s lives. He used terror and propaganda to keep control over the people. By the 1930’s, he had absolute power within the Communist Party. He used force and terror to “silence” anyone who criticized or questioned his actions or ideas. Police monitored the citizens behavior, following people, reading private letters, listening to private conversations, and used spies to get information about people. ………………………. Rule of Terror 7 A

19. In 1934, Stalin began the Great Purgesto get rid of anyone who might be disloyal to him. • The police arrested many, including some who had been with the communist party since its’ beginnings (even war heroes and ordinary citizens). • Punishments: swift and severe. • Police might use torture. Some people were convicted without trials. • Others were sent to labor camps (Siberia) A

20. The Communist Party controlled everything printed or broadcast. • Censors had the job to eliminate anything not okay with Stalin. • The evils of capitalism were announced everywhere. • People were told they were much better off than anyone in a capitalist country. • People heard about how wise and wonderful Stalin was. • Students were taught all this in school. • People heard it on the radio and over loudspeakers in town. • They saw it on posters and in newspapers (including Pravda – the truth) 8 9 A

21. This is the last slide for today Make sure page "A" is completed A