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Establishment of Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe

Establishment of Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe. 3 dimensions of the problem of communism in Eastern Europe after World War II 1. The need for fundamental societal changes 2. Existence of political forces prepared to lead the postwar transformation 3. Role of the USSR.

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Establishment of Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe

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  1. Establishment of Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe

  2. 3 dimensions of the problem of communism in Eastern Europe after World War II • 1. The need for fundamentalsocietal changes • 2. Existence of political forces prepared to lead the postwar transformation • 3. Role of the USSR

  3. Eastern Europe in 1945 2 groups of countries: 1. Germany and her former allies: Romania Hungary Bulgaria Finland 2. Victims of aggression: Poland Czechoslovakia Austria (?) Yugoslavia Albania

  4. Shattered states and societies • Discredited elites • Economies destroyed • Legacies of ethnic warfare • Masses in turmoil • Intensive political struggles in each country • In Western Europe, too: • Capitalism shattered • Socialism popular

  5. The Right is either eliminated or severely weakened • The situation favours the Left • But what was East European Left in 1945? • 3 types of left-wing forces: • Agrarian socialists • Social Democrats • Communists

  6. Throughout East Europe, left-wing parties were banned since 1920s or 1930s • Only in Czechoslovakia the Left, including CP, was fully legal until the German occupation - and was dominant in politics • Now the Left is free to act and take advantage of the postwar crisis • Its issues are popular: • Punishment of collaborators • Building democracies • Socialist reforms

  7. Even without the Soviet factor, Eastern European politics would have shifted drastically leftward • The Soviet factor was a double-edged sword

  8. Stalin’s support of East European Leftists • The only Left Moscow was prepared to tolerate had to follow Stalin’s orders • And the orders were not necessarily: take power now! • And one did not have to be a Communist • No independent Left had a right to exist, from the Kremlin’s point of view • Logic of totalitarianism • This puts East European communists in a situation radically different from the Russian situation in 1917 • Fundamental contradiction between the Left project and Stalinism

  9. East European Communists welcomed Soviet aid, but did they want to be Soviet puppets? • Some did, others not • Those who did not, tried to find other options • And the West was more or less willing to treat them as legitimate forces in the region • But Stalin would not tolerate the slightest dissent from the Kremlin line • He was the Red Emperor • And dissenters were severely punished • Degree of Soviet control was determined by Soviet strategic considerations • Any leeway was possible only if Soviet interests demanded it

  10. The logic of Red imperialism • Geopolitics and security above all • In 1945-47, Stalin considered it pragmatic to allow a degree of freedom to East European countries • “People’s Democracies” • In 1948-49, he decided to go for full control and isolation from the West • East European Communists were to serve as the tools for the Soviet takeover • The issue of national independence • It required a massive purge of East European Communist Parties • Installation of Soviet-type totalitarian regimes

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