government, propaganda and the stalinist cult 3d

• stalins style of government

  • stalin showed great political skill in his rise to power, handling alliances and rivalries, always managing to present a moderate stance
  • he understood the advantage of his position in the centre and his grip on beauracracu through his post as general secretary
  • his style of government was bureacratic centralism (gov controlled from the entre, with central appointment of district officers and party officials).
  • in his system, factionalism was a crime against the party. once the "part line" had been set out, backed by the majority, dissent equalled disloyalty.
• stalins style of government

  • presented as continuing enins legacy with constant reminders that stalin had been lenins closest comrade (lie)
  • was also built on the politics of divide and rule. his success in the power struggled owed much to ability to build a power base who owed their position to him and helped outmaneuver high placed rivals.
  • fear was the driving force of stalins system, it permeated the imposition of policy, collectivisation, how officials were intimidated, in the excessive use of secret police and in the growth of forced labour camps. people feared stalin and each other.
• stalins style of government

  • the sinister role of the secret police and its army of informers was nothing new. lenin had ruthlessly used the checka. but the role of the secret police (renamed OGPU in 1926) became more pervasve under stalin.
  • along with propaganda, repression was constant. the use of terror reached even greater heights. lenin spoke frankly about the need to use terror so stalin claimed he was continuing lenins rule.
  • the ogpu was also often used to enforce policy on peasants and workers
• propaganda and the beginning of the stalinist cult

  • like lenin, stalin relied on the propaganda machine to harness support for policies. images of happy productive workers reinforced the socialist measure behind industrialisation and collectivisation.
  • the launch of the first five year plan was from an all knowing leader, with stalin appearing alongside lenin and marx, taking any opportunity to portray himself as successor.
  • by 1929 the stalinist cult was already established, stalins image was fixed as the "great helmsman" steering russia through danger.
• stalins attitude to foreign powers

  • his main aim in foreign affairs was to keep russia safe while focusing on socialism in one country.
  • but complete isolation was not possible, he had to deal with pressing concerns abroad especially with china and germany.
  • he also had to keep the comintern in mind and its influence. to stalin it was an unwelcome nuisance, a vestige of the failed dream of world revolution, but he couldnt say it openly.
  • the chief representative in foreign affairs was chicherin along with his deputy litvinov, both experienced diplomats with reassuring moderate images
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- china

  • china had been very unstable after the collapse of old Imperial china in 1911. this flared again after the death of president Sun Yatsen in 1925, the rise of industrial working class led to mass strikes
  • the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) formed in 1921, hoped to carry out revolution and expected support from russia and the comintern
  • but stalin preferred to back Jiang Jieshi, leaer of the revolutionary-nationalist movement, the Guomindang (GMD) who he though was more likely to bring stability to russia's eastern borders.
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- china

  • stalin was also suspicious of the CCPs interpretation of marxist ideology so pushed them to join forces with GMD.
  • Jeishi reduced the CCPs influence an showed strong anti commnuist tendencies.
  • stalin throught the chinese communists were too few to achieve anything so had to work with the nationalists to bring change.
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- china

  • however there was conflict

  1. march 1926- GMD massacred striking workers in Canton, established military dictatorship
  2. april 1927- GMD visciously suppressed a communist led workers revolt in Shanghai and thousands were killed
  3. 1927- GMS massacred around 30k striking workers in Wuhan
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- china

  • stalin prioritised russian stability, not spreading revolution
  • since he belived the GMD was the strongest force, he gave jieshi financial and military backing and pressured the politburo in accepting them into the comintern.
  • in stalin's eyes anything gone wrong in china was down to the communists who moved from focusing on workers to peasantry, the CCP and USSRs links weakened
  • stalins betrayal was bitterly criticised by Trotsky and left opposition but SiOC won out.
  • party congress dec '27 was critical of stalins actions, but also expelled trotsky
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- germany

  • the treaty of rapallo in 1922 that the USSR signed with germany had been the example of normalising relations between the USSR and the rest of the world
  • germany and the USSR had good relations after after rapallo. both the german foreign minister, stresemann, and chicherin were keen to maintain that
  • in 1925 stresemann's attempts to restore germany's diplomatic position in europe led to the locarno treaties, a wide ranging set of agreements aimed at ensuring post war peace.
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- germany

  • locarno worried russia, if germany reintegrated into europe russia could be isolated again.
  • as a result, new trade treaties were signed between them on the eve of locarno to reassure the soviets
  • the treaty of berlin 1926 reflected the mid 20s return to peace in europe
  • the german government state it was adapting rapallo to a new political situation. the text of treaty talked about trustful cooperation and promoting general peace
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- germany

  the articles go as follows

  1. reinstated the importance of rapallo as basis for friendly german soviet relation to all political and economic questions
  2. stay neutral if one is attacked
  3. joint promise not to join any economic boycott that might be launched against either country
  4. the treaty would remain in force for five years, the two would discuss in "good time" the future of their political relations
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- germany

  • USSR also gained economic benefits, in june 1926 they received large financial credits from german banks.
  • good relations continued until stresemann's death in 1929 which coincided with the great depression.
  • militarily and economically, though not politically, their ties grew stronger.
• changes in the comintern

  • between 1924 and 1929, the comintern had been low priority. hed been more concerned with internal affairs- winning the power struggle and developing socialism in one country
  • his attitude towards china at the time reflected this
  • as his grip tightened in 1929, stalin began changing his foreign policy. this was part of his "stalin revolution" and was reflected in the industrialisation and collectivisation poilicies. he had a sudden switch to more aggressive foreign policy
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- comintern

  • at the 6th comintern congress in july 1928 stalin put forward his view:
  • world capitalism was facing a crisis
  • the time was right for an attack on anti communist social democrat parties or "social fascists" since they were assisting facism by compromising with it and prevented progress towards class revolution
  • he pushed the comintern to prepare for a return to fight to spread revolution
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- comintern

  • its hard to know stalins motivation for aggressive foreign policy in 1928. he was accused of hypocrisy by trotsky. was he returning to genuine revolutionary ideals now that the need for sioc passed or was it to pick a fight with his opposition (bukharin). when he accused social democrats of social facism it mirrored the attack of bukharin for his cooperation with bourgeois elements of peasantry and NEP
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- comintern

  soviet control over the comintern tightened

  • stalin had loyal yes men run it. molotov replaced bukharin who had replaced zinoviev ;-; (rip bbg)
  • discipline was imposed on the communist parties in france germany and italy so they had working class rather than intellectual leaders
  • rejected pleas for action by the left in germany against naziism, contributing to hitler's rise. he thought hitler was the last stage of monopoly capitalism and would inflame social tensions, hastening revolution. he was wrong hitler just killed all the communists lol
• stalins attitude to foreign powers- comintern

  • soviet agents were sent abroad to infiltrate communist parties and report to moscow. foreign communist leaders were charged wiht being agents of capitalist police if they were disobedient
  • many foreign communist leaders were encouraged to come to USSR to be "trained"
  • any illusion the comintern was an international brotherhood were dropped, it became a tool of stalins "top down" foreign policy