USSR under Joseph Stalin

War Communism (Lenin) what When : 1918 -1921 What: Industry was nationalized, compulsory labour was introduced and private trade was suppressed Why: because of the desperate need to obtain food for the Red Army & the urban population Outcome: communism, military & militants swung into full force

So What? Peasants resisted, and forcible requisitioning and repression became common There was further economic decline as requisitioning and rationing were needed to supply the Red Army & cities with food - This was Lenin’s first attempt to install the first communist economy

Lenin’s New Economic Policy What When: March 1921 What: Introduced a small measure of capitalism Why: Problems with War Communism Outcome: Some improvement in production

So What? - Lenin showed his flexibility; some private trade was permitted, peasants were allowed to sell surplus, small factories returned to a form of private ownership With this policy, Lenin sacrificed some of the ideals of Marxism for the seeming necessity of capitalist production -The economy improved a little

Effects of Lenin’s NEP What So What Peasants handed over a fixed proportion of their crops to the state; peasants were allowed to keep or sell surplus Small farms were returned to their former owners & incentive schemes were set up to encourage more production Small factories returned to private ownership Social results of the NEP were a threat to the Communists who disapproved of class distinctions Stalin was committed to socialism and the Communists did not like the increase in the number of kulaks (richer farmers) or “Nepmen” (small business people)

Emergence of Stalin Born: 1879 in Georgia Died: 1953

Troubled childhood Abusive father Mother wanted him to be a priest, but he was kicked out of the Seminary, most likely for bad behaviour

Power-hungry from young age Idolized Lenin Wanted to succeed Lenin as leader of Communists Excellent memory Lived simply Liked good food & wine Not interested in money

Power Struggle with Trotsky What So What Trotsky believed that the success of socialism depended on worldwide revolution. He represented the left wing of the party. The right wing supported the NEP Stalin was in the middle. He believed that socialism could be built in one country. He called for the development of socialism in the USSR Stalin promised power and prestige without the problems posed by fostering international revolution Because of Stalin’s dynamic personality the party supported him and not Trotsky. Stalin was a master schemer and tactician and got control. In control, Stalin had Trotsky removed from the party and exiled. He was later murdered.

Once sentenced 70,000 people to death at one time “Man of Steel” Ruthless, cruel, cold Once sentenced 70,000 people to death at one time

Who were Stalin’s victims? Political rivals – often killed by NKVD (secret police) All military that didn’t support him Just before WWII, purged 2/3 of the army and most talented members of Communist party and the military

Sent to labour camps or to work on industrialization projects 3) Dissidents Sent to labour camps or to work on industrialization projects

4) Ukrainian peasants – 6 “Collectivization” – killed 6 million in 2 yrs (even his wife committed suicide over the plan) State farms: like agricultural factories; peasants worked for wage. Losses borne by state

b) Collective farms - advantages -rewarded labour for its input -tax was paid to the state overhead was paid for by earnings surplus distributed on basis of how much labour each worker had done workers could maintain small, private plots, plus limited # of livestock Purpose – destroy rich peasants (Kulaks), and the poor peasants would be victorious

The brutality of collective farms Kulaks – farmer with property = $800 + -about 5% of farmers were Kulaks -Kulaks deemed “unfit” for collective farms…too independent -forced out of Ukraine (breadbasket of USSR) -Siberia & Central Asia -5 million kulaks “disappeared” Starved to death, sent to industrial projects, deported to labour camps in Siberia

Collectivization destroyed USSR’s agriculture If peasants resisted, govt. slaughtered their livestock Droughts in Southern Russia and Ukraine led to major famine in Ukraine, 1932-33 6 million deaths USSR never able to grown enough grain for its people again, but continued to export grain

Collectivization What So What Peasants forced to give up own land and become workers on collective farms. Collectives were called Kolkhoz and all land was pooled. The farm committee would order the workers what to do. 1930 – ½ peasants on collectives 1931 – 53% on these farms 1932 – 62% Resistance by some farmers = famine Grain was taken away to feed the cities and the army and to sell on foreign markets Ended private ownership of agricultural land The class of the ‘Kulak’ was completely eliminated (they were killed or sent to prison camps as they were a symbol of free enterprise)

Purges & Show Trials What So What Began in 1933 What: Old heroes of the Revolution & other political enemies were charged with treason, ‘tried’, and executed Why: Stalin wanted to purify communism and solidify his power Stalin executed 1 of every 5 officers in the Red Army Killing so many officers would come back to haunt Stalin later in WW11. The Purges showed Stalin’s ruthlessness All forms of dissent, real or imagined, were punished brutally Introduced Show Trials Stalin became a totalitarian leader who rivaled Hitler in ruthlessness