Stalin's Power Over the Communist Party

Stalin's Power Before World War Two

Stalin became General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in April 1922. He was feared in the Communist Party and ended up enhancing his personal power and reducing the power of political bodies.

Lack of opposition

Stalin first purged the Politburo in the 1920s.
- Members such as Trotsky, Bukharin and Zinoviev had all been removed over disagreeing views of economic policy.
Stalin made the Politburo full of his loyal friends.
- Examples were Molotov and Lazar Kaganovich.
Manipulating the Politburo in this way meant Stalin was not faced with opposition and could easily force through his own agenda.

Reducing power of political institutions

The frequency with which political bodies, such as the Politburo, met reduced over the 1920s.
Political power became condensed and given to smaller groups outside of the Politburo.
Stalin personally styled himself as an intimidating ruler. Politicians feared that if they disagreed with him they would be executed.

Stalin's political freedom

As a dictator, Stalin had significant political freedom to run the USSR how he liked.
The counterpart of this was that political institutions had little power.
The Communist Party consented to Stalin's policies without challenging him.

Stalin's Power Over the State Before World War Two

Stalin introduced the Soviet Constitution in 1936. Even though it appeared democratic, the reality was quite the opposite.

Soviet Constitution

The Soviet Constitution was passed in 1936.
The Constitution enfranchised (having the right to vote) all citizens in the Soviet Union.
- Previously, members of the bourgeois (middle) classes were disenfranchised.
The Constitution also included:
- Freedom of the press.
- Freedom of religion.
- Freedom of organisation.
- Guaranteed employment.

Impact of the Soviet Constitution

The Constitution, whilst seemingly democratic, was thoroughly undemocratic.
The Constitution restricted the rights of citizens.
Effectively, the Soviet Union was a dictatorship.
- Only Communist Party candidates were allowed to run in elections (a single party state).
The audience of the Soviet Constitution was not only the Soviet population but also foreign powers. Stalin wanted to persuade countries such as Britain and the United States that the Soviet Union was truly democratic.

Stalin on the Soviet Constitution

'The constitution of the USSR is the only thoroughly democratic constitution in the world.’

Evaluating Stalin's Power

Stalin's power was occasionally challenged and questioned by members of the Politburo or local Communist Party members. But overall, their limits were minimal and Stalin dealt with them harshly.

Limits from above

The Communist Party did try and limit Stalin's personal power.
- The Politburo refused to agree to the execution of Ryutin (a member of a faction against Stalin who had denounced him in 1932).
- Members of the Politburo were cautious of Stalin's Second Five Year Plan targets and forced him to lower them.
- Members of the Politburo voiced fears over Stalin's brutality. For example, Ordhzkonikidze openly expressed opposition to Stalin's use of terror in a meeting.

Impact of the Politburo's limits

Commonly, the Politburo is presented as meek and passive for letting Stalin get away with whatever he wanted.
The Politburo did try, on occasion, to limit Stalin's power or call him out on his terror tactics.
- Arguably, these efforts were minimal and not hugely effective.
Some of Stalin's advisors did take advantage of the power Stalin gave them and use it for their own agenda.
- E.g. historians point out how the head of the NKVD (secret police) Yezhov behaved during the Great Purge.

Limits from below

The USSR faced international enemies. Some members of the Communist Party wanted to shore up the socialism in the USSR against these enemies.
Stalin was critical of these zealous party members who implemented collectivisation too enthusiastically.
There could be conflict between local communist authorities and Stalin.

Stalin's rule of terror

If Stalin felt local party members were threatening his power, he executed them.
Stalin increasingly ruled through terror and personal control.

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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