Events UnderLenin Stalin

Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov • April.22.1870 – January.24.1924

• Adopted the name “Lenin” after his Siberian exile in 1901

• Became leader of the Bolsheviks, and later, led the Bolsheviks to what became knows as the October Revolution. Nearly 3 years of civil war later, Lenin and the Bolsheviks assumed power of the entire country.

• Lenin used Karl Marx’s ideas to transform the Soviet Union into a communist state. Lenin modified Marx’s ideas to suit the conditions of his country.

• The bourgeoisie exploited the workers by forcing them to create goods and services with a greater value than the wages received.

• Capitalism would bring itself to ruin– Economic depression– Imperialism– Wars– Revolution by the proletariat.

• After a series of revolutions capitalism would be eliminated; a temporary dictatorship would be established to foster this transition.

• Once communism was established, people would live in a cooperative and voluntary society. The state (government) would “wither away”

• Production would be distributed by the motto…“from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.”

Marx’s Beliefs

The Ideal Marxist Society

• Individual differences would still exist but no one could amass enormous wealth while others lived in poverty.

• Equal opportunity (classless society)• Abolish private property and profit motive (public

ownership)• With the existence of surplus goods crime and

greed would not exist.• People would be motivated by the Common

Good and the creation of equality

Lenin’s Additions To Marxism

• Adapted Marx’s ideas to conditions in Russia.• Views referred to “Marxist-Leninist”

Marx

• revolution could only occur in a capitalist and industrialized country

Lenin

• organized a dedicated group of professional revolutionaries (who sought support from peasants and workers) to overthrow Russian autocratic government.

Values, Assumptions, and Myths

• Communists claimed that the new country was a democracy.– Set up govt. that on paper

was democratic– Govt. based on a

constitution (1922)– CPSU refers to itself as

democratic because it rules in the interest of the majority.

• Real power was with the CPSU.– Maintained a monopoly of

power by controlling• Access to positions of

leadership• Content of communication• Direction of the economy• Culture and education

Authoritarian Essence

• The CP was the only legal political party

• This was justified by – Only one class (proletariat); therefore only one party

needed.– Party was the “vanguard of the proletariat” and

protector of communism.

• Lenin also believed that elections in capitalist countries were simply a “sham” (illusion of real choice).

Democratic Centralism• Issues are discussed bottom up, then resolved

by the party congress with the expectation that all party members will obey.

• Eventually used by Stalin to purge all opposition and became a justification for strict censorship, imprisonment and executions.

• In this way, Stalin ended up controlling the party, which controlled the government, which controlled the USSR.

Authoritarian Essence cont…

Structure of Communist Party

Politburo:– Supreme policy making body– 15 members

Secretariat:– Supervised the Politburo– Managed daily activities of the party– Supervised all state and government appointments– Implemented policies– Led by General-Secretary

Structure of Soviet Government

• Though appearing both democratic and federal in nature,

• the Supreme Soviet (parliament) was not effectively democratic.– Met 2 times per year– Laws first past by Presidium so Supreme Soviet simply

rubber stamped legislation.

• Real purpose of Supreme Soviet was simply to spread message of Presidium.

• Elections were not considered democratic because there was usually only one name on ballot.

Soviet Government

• Federal system

• Little autonomy to republics.

Autonomy: right to make own decisions

• Government controls all levels of government. (Moscow: Kremlin)

Structure of Soviet Government

Communist Party Membership

• Only those who were politically conscious, honest, educated, and dedicated to the party could join.– Nominated by party a member– Two years to become member– Every aspect of candidate’s life was investigated– Only 20% of population were members.– Majority of CPSU members were employed in

industry and agriculture. (72%)

Communist Party Membership

Large Secret Police Force

• Cheka (1917) : Lenin

• NKVD (1934) : Stalin– People’s Commissarat of Internal Affairs

• KGB (1954)– Committee for State Security

War Communism Economic System between 1918 and 1921

Introduced by Lenin in hopes to fight the economic problems introduced through the civil war in Russia

Integrated “emergency measures” and “socialist dogma” *A dogma is a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle*

It was abandoned because it led to strikes, demonstrations, riots, and created social distress, all in all, it failed miserably

Lenin

’s P

olicie

s

New Economic Policy This was a policy designed to revive the nation from its economic

recessions, mainly in the area of agriculture Re-introduced some limited private ownership of land and business,

allowed farmers to sell surplus for profit Obviously this is a step away from “pure” communism, but Lenin

only intended to be a temporary policy Lenin saw that the only way the Socialist Revolution can be saved

was to come to an agreement with the peasants and farmers Within a few months, it had incredible success The famine was gradually eliminated, as well as the speculation of

failure The state retained control of banking, large industry, transportation

and trade.

Lenin

’s P

olicie

s

Joseph Stalin• December.18.1879 – March.5.1953

• Assumed name Joseph “Stalin” means “Man of Steel”

• Following Lenin’s death, became leader of the Soviet Union after a two year power struggle with Leon Trotsky; whom Stalin had deported.

• Stalin radically changed the USSR into an industrialized nation and ended the “New Economic Policy”

• Stalin’s policies were known as the “Five Year Plans”

5 Year Plans

• In 1928 Joseph Stalin came up with one of the three “5 Year Plans”

• Plans were to lead the Soviet Union to increased industrialization and to collectivize the country as whole. Also prepared the country for war against Nazi Germany

• During these terms however, many were purged and terrorized

Collectivizing Farms• Collective farms were plans

to incorporate agriculture into the focus of the nation

• Private ownership was banned and everyone had to voluntarily collectivize farms

• “Kulaks” were a group from the richer peasants class that resisted the idea of collectivizing for the state, through propaganda they were shown as being greedy and uncaring towards the nation but only themselves. They were labeled un-soviet

Ukrainian Famine• Most productive area for agriculture had been Ukraine• Stalin wanted to crush the vestiges of Ukrainian nationalism, thus

he used famine as a tool to break the spirit of the people.• Thanks to the famine, the will to resist collectivization was

destroyed and Ukraine was left in a state of disaster• Between 1932 and 1933 it is estimated that 6 to 7 million people

died due to the famine. • This genocide is known as the Holodomor

See “Pause and Reflect” on page 182

Great Purge• Purges conducted

mainly throughout the 1930s and were carried out by the secret police (NKVD)

• Anyone expected to be an opponent or to be against Stalin were dealt with violently

• Between the years 1934 and 1938 around 10 million people were deported to concentration camps and/or executed.

We will study this in more depth later…See page 182-183 and consider the question On page 183.

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