Stalin and Russia

1. Stalin and Russia Stalin’s rise to power The Purges Stalin’s Economic Policies

2. If asked about 3 factors, this is the least important. What factors meant that Stalin came to power after the death of Lenin? • Luck • Stalin’s Political Strengths • Stalin’s personal qualities • Trotsky’s weaknesses.

3. How did luck help Stalin come to power? It was lucky that: • Lenin’s testament was never published • Lenin died at a good time (earlier and Stalin wouldn’t have had enough power) • Trotsky was ill through most of the power struggle.

4. What strengths of Stalin helped him come to power? • He was in charge of appointing offices. He could give good posts to his “allies” and bad posts to his opponents where they couldn’t get much support. • He had played a vital role in Bolshevik history so he was admired and considered loyal. • His roles meant that he was a good ally to have for leading politicians and they were equally useful to him. • He advocated the popular “socialism in one country”

5. What personality traits of Stalin helped helped him come to power? • He was cunning, had no qualms about playing people off one another. He tricked Trotsky about Lenin’s funeral so it looked like he was much closer to Lenin. • He was considered mediocre and not a threat until it was too late. • Didn’t mind doing boring, administrative tasks – which were vital to his plan.

6. What weaknesses of Trotsky helped Stalin come to power? • He was high minded and looked down on his colleagues. They respected him but didn’t “like” him. • “The party’s most eminent mediocrity”, didn’t see Stalin as a threat. • He didn’t believe in political alliances and dirty politics. • Used to be a Menshevik so was not seen as loyal.

7. When did Russia become the USSR? • Just before Lenin died.

8. What 2 major economic policies did Stalin make? • 5 year Plans • Collectivisation

9. What did the 5 year plans aim to do? • Increase production in heavy goods • Modernise the industry • Improve agriculture and economy • Catch up with other countries • Equip army for predicted war • Get power, control, order and discipline.

10. What measures were taken to enforce the 5 year plans? • Ambitious targets were set. Fines for not complying. • Whole cities built where there were rich natural resources • Dams built so hydropower could be used in industry. • Railways and canal built to improve transportation (e.g. Moscow underground) • Siberia's rich mineral exploited • Spare money ploughed into agriculture • GOSPLAN drew up plans • Labour Camps • Propaganda

11. What were the successes of the 5 year plans? • Production increased • No unemployment • Women started to work • More doctors/ head than Britain. • Basic education • Saved Russia from WWII defeat • Good for propaganda (promote communism) • Overtaking Britain and Germany • Soviet workers had slightly better living conditions • Alexei Stakhanov – a hero story.

12. What were the failures of the 5 year plans? • Human cost (100 000 died on Belmor canal) • Overcrowding • Racism • Not many consumer goods for normal people.

13. What were the aims of collectivisation? • Get peasants to use machinery • To modernise farming • Supply materials for 5 year plans • Fund the 5 year plans • Control over a large amount of the population • Eliminate Kulaks • Feed growing population • Introduce communist system

14. What were the measures taken to enforce collectivisation? • Farms groups together (Kolkhoz), government owned. Could keep small plots of land for personal use. • Animals and tools pooled together • Given free grain and steady income • Machinery make available by government at Motor tractor stations • 90% of food and produce would be sold to the state and profits shared out. • Terror and propaganda turned people away from the Kulaks. • Requisition parties took all food, all of it if you refused.

15. What were the successes of Collectivisation? • Nearly all the kulaks were gone by 1941 • After it had been introduced there was no more famine • 2 million peasants started using machinery. • Foreign experts taught new ways to farm. • Nearly all agriculture was organised in a collective system by 1941. • Communist practise achieved • Eventually 30+ million tons of grain produced a year.

16. What were the failures of collectivisation? • Initially caused a famine • Peasants didn’t like growing flax not food • Kulaks unhappy about have to give land and produce • Kulaks burned land and killed animals in protest • Peasants were suspicious of government • Didn’t work in the short term.

17. What were the purges? • The systematic elimination of opponents by Stalin. • Million’s of people imprisoned in labour camps (gulags)

18. What force did Stalin use to control the USSR NKVD

19. When did the purges begin? • 1934, when Kirov, leader of the Leningrad communist party was murdered. • This was used as an excuse.

20. How did Stalin weaken the army? • By getting rid of able officers that he saw as a threat. 1 in 5 officers were killed in the purges.

21. What cosmetic measures did Stalin introduce ? • Gave people free speech and election. • In fact, all newspapers and magazines had to be approved and only communist candidates could stand for election.