7C stalins russia

• how did Trotsky lose the contest

  • arrogant and high handed
  • offended senior party members
  • little effort to build up any support in ranks of party
  • underestimated Stalin
  • frightened many in the ussr and they worried he'd become a dictator as he had army support
  • ppl worried that he'd involve the ussr in new conflicts and that his radical policies would split the party
  • eventually fell ill and was inactive
• strengths of Stalin

  • extremely clever in using his power in the communist party; he took many important jobs and used these positions to put his supporters in important posts and remove opponent supporters
  • allied with bukharin in the debate about the NEP and later got zimonev and kamonev expelled
• why did Stalin want to modernise the industry in the ussr

  • stalin aimed to make the soviet union a world power and strengthen its economy.
  • supported state control, focusing on industrial projects like railways.
  • believed in marxism and sought to eliminate nepmen (capitalist traders).
  • advocated for socialism in one country, seeking self-sufficiency and national pride.
  • focused on improving living standards and modernizing industry.
  • used five-year plans to boost production and military strength.
• five year plans

  used in socialist systems to set economic goals, the plans aimed to boost industry, improve infrastructure, and advance collectivization. they also focused on education, healthcare, and living standards. stalin exploited siberia’s minerals to fuel industrial growth.

  • 1: focused on major industries, increasing production, building new dams, and hydroelectric power to meet industrial needs.
  • 2: built on the first plan’s achievements, prioritizing heavy industry. transport improved with new railways and canals. Stalin further exploited Siberia
• what part did GOSPLAN play in soviet modernisation

  it oversaw the centralised planning of there economy. it was responsible for creating 5 year plans that set ambitious production targets and prioritised industrialisation, particularly in heavy industry and defence. it aimed to transform the Soviet Union from any agrarian society to an industrial power, mobilising resources and labour efficiently. its directives led to establishments of new factories, and investments in education and technology. the industrialisation process increased production capabilities and improved standards of living
• why was Stalin determined to modernise the economy quickly

  he believed the ussr needed to catch up with western powers and strengthen its military, especially with rising global tensions. he wanted to transform the economy to out-produce capitalist nations. fearing fascist threats, he aimed to consolidate power through centralised planning via GOSPLAN, setting ambitious goals to prove his leadership. the push for rapid industrialisation was driven by fears of invasion and the desire to make the ussr a global power.
• impact of industrialisation on Russians

  • women workers: shortage of workers caused women to be drafted into the industry, increasing their worldwide, and creches were built for their children
  • training: workers improved their living conditions by getting good jobs, and and education became free and compulsory
  • wages and living: houses were overcrowded and wages decreased. people could be sent to jail for being kulaks or suspected opponents. workers were punished for being late and there were many who dies due to the working conditions. they were also constantly bombarded with propaganda
• disadvantages 5 year plans

  • inefficient
  • immense human costs as workers were killed in projects
• why did stalin want to modernise soviet agriculture

  • feed workers: agriculture was huge in russia and vast majority of the population worked in it. people needed to be fed, but there were shortages of grain
  • food exports: increased profit from selling surplus
  • building reputation: he thought that modernising agriculture would enhance his reputation
  • ending the NEP: it was unacceptable to Stalin to have the countryside operating the old NEP, and knew the kulaks, etc., wouldn't support him, so by removing them he could replace them with loyal peasants
• collectivisation

  forcing farmers to combine farms. this meant:

  • easier methods of farming, producing more food
  • more socialist way of farming as they cooperate instead of making a living
  • easier to collect grain from larger farms
• impact of collectivisation on people

  peasants didnt want to be ordered around by farm managers, they wanted independence. they burned crops and killed animals to avoid giving them to the govt. secret police then deported 1.5m peasants to gulags. this caused huge disruption and there were food shortages. there was propaganda to persuade peasants to collectivise, telling them advantages. millions starved, and there was severe famine. by 1934 there were no kulaks and by 1941 all agricultural land was organised under collectivistic systems
• how did Stalin control the soviet union

  • terrorised ppl with NKVD into obedience
  • Stalin purged anyone disloyal, torturing Bolsheviks to confess, executing Politburo members, and killing or sending 500,000 Communist Party members to camps. He also purged army commanders and NKVD members, weakening the USSR.
  • stalin created a new constitution for the ussr, which included freedom of speech, but it was a cosmetic measure.
  • people began to see stalin as great, as newspapers were censored and the state used extensive propaganda.
  • the 'cult of personality' led to statues etc. of Stalin
• society and culture under Stalin

  • churches/mosques closed down
  • music monitored by NKVD and playwrights/poets needed to praise Stalin. artists were forced ti adopt socialist realism style
  • strict programmes of work were set out for key subjects, compulsory lessons in socialist values, and children under 15 joined the pioneers
  • women were equal to men. communists challenged traditional views about women and family, and enables easy divorces, abortions, creches and jobs for women
• how complete was stalins control over the soviet union in 1941

  purges

  • removed all bolsheviks capable of replacing him as a keader
  • removed main officers if the army
  • sent those unruly to gulags
  • cowed population into subjects, making them unlikely to voice criticisms if policies
  • terrified population
• how complete was stalins control over the soviet union in 1941

  • those higher up cheated the system to escape any blame
  • a lot of bribery and corruption, as everyone had unrealistic production targets in the industry, and people fiddled figures to avoid accusation of not fulfilling targets
  • Stalin found it hard to control regions away from Moscow. other communist officials often didn't carry out instructions from the centre. they ran their own areas

  thousands changed jobs regularly to avoid harsh labour laws. peasants/farmers rebelled farm managers and didnt work hard, so agriculture declined