Josef Stalin and the USSR

Legacy Established the political and economic structure of Russia until 1991 Rise to power Consolidation of power Maintenance of power

Origins and Nature Had been a Bolshevik during the October Revolution Not responsible, really Lenin and Trotsky Associated with the consolidation of the USSR Josef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, 1879, Gori, Georgia Had its own language and culture, Russian his second Became influenced by a revolutionary Georgian group, met socialists Became a professional revolutionary in Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1901 Helped organize labors, arrested, exiled Returned in 1917 with Provisional Government

Role in 1917 Returning to Petrograd in 1917, became part of the Pravda, the newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Part Elected to the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party Lenin’s leadership gave the party power Some tension between the two early Stalin had showed support for Provisional Government

Stalin after the Revolution Had been appointed Commissar for Nationalities First quarrel with Lenin Lenin thought the Soviet republics could be trusted Stalin thought they would have to ruled with strict discipline 1922 Georgian Question Wanted to join the USSR Treaty of Union in 1924 Stalin brought them in under strict control Stalin used the 1921 ban on factions to tighten control 1922, Appointed General Secretary of the Party Now a member of the Politburo Seven policymakers from Central Committee The Orgburo Oversaw local elections The Secretariat Bureaucracy

Stalin’s Methods Stalin had fallen out of favor Lenin had concerns about his behavior and power Never able to express them due to health Said Stalin should be removed, but no one read it in his testament Afraid to hurt Stalin’s feelings Thought party needed to appear reunited Lenin had a stroke in 1923 and Stalin jumped on opportunity of influence Stalin gave the oration at his funeral, gave Trotsky the wrong date Stalin tried to expand membership through Lenin Enrolment Masses encouraged to join Could choose future leaders from his position No arguments over party ideology, Stalin wrote it in The Foundations of Leninism in 1924

Stalin and His Rivals

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Grigory Zinoviev Bolshevik since 1903 and close friend of Lenin Member of the Politburo Leader of the Petrograd city government Appointed the first Chairman of Comintern in 1919 International support structure Tried and executed in 1936

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Lev Kamenev Bolshevik since 1903 and Lenin’s close confidant Member of the Politburo and Chairman of the Moscow Party Tried and executed in 1936

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Leon Trotsky Bolshevik only since 1917 Brilliant orator and strategist Planned the revolution in October 1917 and led Red Army to victory in the Civil War Commissar for Foreign Affairs and appointed Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs Assassinated in Mexico 1940

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Nikolai Bukharin Bolshevik since 1906 Editor of the Pravda In the Politburo and also on the Committee of Comintern Tried and executed in 1938

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Alexei Rykov Bolshevik since 1903, Deputy Chairman of Sovnarkom, Chairman of Gosplan Organization that coordinated and organized the Soviet economy Moderate who favored Lenin’s New Economic Policy Tried and executed in 1938

Cast of Characters in Stalin’s Rise Mikhail Tomsky Trade union leader who joined the Bolsheviks in 1906 Moderate who favored the NEP Elected to the Politburo in 1927 1936, criticized Stalin and then committed suicide

Stalin’s Rivals - Trotsky Seemed like the natural successor Strategist of October Revolution Brilliant leadership of Red Army during civil war Oratorical skills Lacked the will though Also, Jewish, brought uncertainty Did not have the strong ties of Stalin, made enemies by attacking NEP and advocating for military leadership of the economy Too focused on permanent revolution Stalin: Socialism in One Country program Resigned from the military

Stalin’s Rivals – Zinoviev and Kamenev – the Left Opposition or the Left Deviationists Kamenev and Zinoviev had worked with Stalin to expel Trotsky Now debate over continuation of NEP Did it favor peasants over workers? Kamenev and Zinoviev said it did Their support was from Moscow and Leningrad, not surprising Opposed by Bukarin who said it worked effectively Kamenev attacks not only NEP, but also Stalin’s Socialism in One Country Removed from the Politburo Three supporters of Stalin voted on Kamenev and Zinoviev joined with Trotsky as United Opposition in 1926 He is exiled, they repent

Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky – The Right Opposition or the Right Deviationists Stalin began to criticize the NEP in 1927 and advocate for harsher policy towards the peasants 1928 went back to grain requisitioning, NEP was over, his opponents taken out of the Politburo 1929, he is the most powerful member, undermined the Bolshevik Party

Aspects of Stalin’s Rise What Stalin did was legal Elected to Politburo Appointed General Secretary His power was from these high offices Ban on factions had helped Majority members had created this in 1921 Gave the people what they wanted Workers wanted more influence, he dropped the NEP

Stalin’s Domestic Policies Five Year Plan, model for every communist country throughout 20th century Agricultural exports had to be increased to import technology from abroad Financed by agriculture, peasants would have to work in the interests of the state Lenin had started it, Vesenkha and Gosplan had been established Stalin believed in strict control to industrialize and urbanize

Collectivization of Agriculture Stalin turned to collectivization in ensuring people worked together, provide a workforce 1929, total collective farms established Opposition labeled Kulaks and punished 25 million farms consolidated to 200,000 Advantages State control of national wealth Tribute to industry Authority established over the countryside Food production and use of machinery more efficient Surplus peasants used in cities No food shortages

Effects of Collectivization Not a popular policy 1930, poor harvest Stalin halts program, sends party activists to the countryside for encouragement Wore opponents down Disastrous famine in 1932-33 killed 5-8 million people May have been a genocidal famine, particularly in the Ukraine Maybe not, Stalin did cut quotas three times in 1932, did need labor

Peasants to Proletariat Peasants moved around, children often abandoned Some could not afford to feed them Crime rose Orphanages and camps Stalin passed a law stating children over 12 could be held Brutality to form this new utopia throughout the 1930s “If a man is a problem, no man, no problem” Arrest, torture, imprisonment, execution Often innocent, very random

The Five Year Plans First Five Year Plan, 1928- 32 Goal of industrial buildup Second Five Year Plan, 1932-37 and Third Five Year Plan, 1937- Goal of heavy industrial buildup Trains, trucks, tractors Needs resources to re- arm

Stalin Strategies Labor discipline Slave labor Enthusiasm Rewards Propaganda Social Transformations Women’s roles were conservative once more Used the church for popular support Growth of music Further access to Red education Stalin’s Aims Secure his own position and defend the USSR