Centralisation of Power

Bolshevik Centralisation

In March 1918, the Bolsheviks became the Russian Communist Party (of Bolsheviks). There was a shift towards ‘communism’ rather than ‘Bolshevism’ in public. This led to a process of centralisation.

The Sovnarkom

Lenin was the chairman of the government, which was called Sovnarkom (the Council of People’s Commissars).
He was responsible for Russia’s development into a brutal dictatorship, rather than into a genuinely equal socialist society.
The centralisation of power under his control was typical of his leadership style.

The Communist Party

Although the Soviets were supposed to be in charge in the regions, in reality power was completely under the control of the Communist Party.
The Soviets were eventually required to agree automatically with the decisions of the central party.
While from the outside, the communist government seemed like a democracy, in reality the Communist Party decided everything.
When elections were held, it was only members of the Party who could stand for office. Criticism was not allowed.

The Politburo

The Central Committee was elected at the Party Congress to represent the party between congresses. The Central Committee elected the Politburo (the key policymaking committee).
The first members of the Politburo were Lenin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky and Stalin.
From 1917 onwards, the Politburo became increasingly powerful.

The Soviet Union

In 1924, under a new constitution, Russia was reorganised into the USSR - the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
There were initially four republics. The largest was the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic.
Officially, each region had voluntarily become part of the USSR. In reality, the Red Army had forced the regions to join and there was no way for them to leave the USSR.
In December 1925, the Communist Party became the ‘All-Union Communist Party (of Bolsheviks)’ in response to this change.

Interpretation

Figes on Lenin's political plan:
- “There was no master plan. When the Bolsheviks came to power they had no set idea – other than the general urge to control and centralize – of how to structure the institutional relationships between the party and the Soviets…Only during the civil war, when they stressed the need for strict centralized control to mobilize the resources of the country, did the Bolsheviks plan the general structure of the party-state”.

Lenin's Legacy

Lenin died in 1924, and it was not clear who would succeed him. This led to the Communist Party debating Lenin's legacy.

Lenin's legacy

Lenin had created a new dictatorship in Russia.
His legacy was largely authoritarian.

Decline of the Sovnarkom

Lenin removed power from the Sovnarkom as the main organ of government.
The Politburo essentially took over the functions of the executive.
Sovnarkom now only 'approved' the decisions of the Politburo.

'Party-state'

The Soviet state and the Communist Party now worked in parallel.
Opposition parties were banned officially in 1921.
This new type of rule came to be known as the 'party-state'.

Elites

1921: The party had developed into a huge bureaucracy.
The administration was mostly made up of the middle classes from under the tsar.
Those who worked for the Party got better food and accommodation.
- The claim that the Communist Party ruled on behalf of the workers was hollow.

Historical assessment

Archie Brown (2007): '...as late as December 1989, according to a survey by the most reliable opinion polling organization of that era, the All-Soviet Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), far more Soviet citizens (75 percent) proposed Lenin than anyone else when asked to name the ten most outstanding people of all time and in all nations.'

1Communist Government in the USSR, 1917-85

1.1Establishing Communist Party Control, 1917-24

1.1.1The Creation of a One-Party State

1.1.2Government under Lenin

1.1.3Centralisation of Power

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Establishing Control

1.1.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Establishing Control

1.2Stalin in Power, 1928-53

1.2.1The Elimination of Opponents

1.2.2The Purges of the 1930s

1.2.3End of Topic Test - The Elimination of Opponents

1.2.4Stalin's Power Over the Communist Party

1.2.5Stalin's Power During & After the Communist Party

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Power Over the Communist Party

1.2.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Stalin in Power

1.3Government, 1953-85

1.3.1Changes in Leaders' Control of the State

1.3.2Khrushchev's Attempts to Reform Government

1.3.3End of Topic Test - Government 1953-85

1.3.4Stability & Stagnation, 1964-85

1.3.5End of Topic Test - Stability & Stagnation

1.3.6A-A* (AO3/4) - Government 1953 - 85

2Industrial & Agricultural Changes

2.1Towards a Command Economy

2.1.1Nationalisation of Industry, Communism & the NEP

2.1.2End of Topic Test - Towards a Command Economy

2.2Industry & Agriculture in the Stalin Era

2.2.1Five Year Plans & Industrial Change

2.2.2Five Year Plans & Industrial Change 2

2.2.3End of Topic Test - Five Year Plans

2.2.4Agricultural Collectivisation & its Impact

2.2.5Recovery from War after 1945

2.2.6End of Topic Test - Collectivisation & Recovery

2.3Changes in Industry & Agriculture, 1953-85

2.3.1Light Industry, Chemicals & Consumer Goods

2.3.2Investment in Agriculture & Virgin Lands

2.3.3Attempts at Reform after 1964

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Industry & Agriculture

2.3.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Industry & Agriculture

3Control of the People, 1917-85

3.1Media, Propaganda & Religion

3.1.1State Control of Mass Media & Propaganda

3.1.2Attacks on Religious Beliefs & Practices

3.1.3Attacks on Religious Beliefs & Practices 2

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Media, Propaganda & Religion

3.1.5Cults: Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev

3.1.6A-A*/ - Media, Propaganda & Religion

3.2The Secret Police

3.2.1Attacks on Opponents of the Government

3.2.2The Roles of Yagoda, Yezhov & Beria

3.2.3Andropov & Late Opposition to Soviet Rule

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Secret Police

3.3The State & Cultural Change

3.3.1Proletkult, Avant-Garde & Socialist Realism

3.3.2Nonconformity from the 1950s

3.3.3End of Topic Test - State & Cultural Change

3.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Control of the People

4Social Developments, 1917-35

4.1Social Security

4.1.1Full Employment Benefits

4.1.2Housing & Social Benefits

4.1.3Khrushchev, Brezhnev & Stable Society

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Social Security

4.2Women & Family

4.2.1Changing Status of Different Groups

4.2.2Changing Attitudes to Family

4.2.3Changing Attitudes to Family 2

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Women & Family

4.3Education & Young People

4.3.1Growth of Primary, Secondary & Higher Education

4.3.2Reduction of Illiteracy

4.3.3State Control of the Curriculum

4.3.4End of Topic Test - Education & Young People

4.3.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Social Developments

5Historical Interpretations

5.1What Explains the Fall of the USSR, 1985-91?

5.1.1Economic Weakness

5.1.2Attempts at Economic Reform

5.1.3Failure To Reform The Communist Party & Soviet Gov

5.1.4Impact of Reforms

5.1.5End of Topic Test - Economic Reform

5.1.6Impact of the Nationalist Resurgence

5.1.7Impact of the Nationalist Resurgence 2

5.1.8End of the USSR

5.1.9Gorbachev & Yeltsin's Responsibility

5.1.10End of Topic Test - Nationalist Resurgence

5.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Explaining the Fall of the USSR

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