Stalin's power over party and state

• Stalin did have complete control:

  • Reduced power of the Politburo.
  • Used widespread terror.
  • Set ideological agenda.
• Stalin did not have complete control:

  • Reliance on key allies, other figures.
  • Soviet Constitution of 1936.
• Stalin did have complete control:

  • As General Secretary of Party, he held 26K files on members.
  • In 1935, NKVD arrested 22% of the Party.
  • By 1941, sole member and chair of Sovnarkom.
• Stalin did not have complete control:

  • In 1932, Politburo forced him to stop execution of Ryutin.
  • Article 125 of the 1936 Constitution guaranteed freedom of speech.
  • During WW2, forced to release purged officers such as Marshal Zhukov and Rokkosovsky.