State Socialism After Stalin

Stalin’s last years: 1945-53 A new mobilization of the country:

To rebuild the economy To build up military power against the West Privations and hardships for the population

A new wave of mass repressions affecting all groups of Soviet population, including top leadership

Stalin’s cult reaches its apex

Stalin’s last years: 1945-53 1946: start of the Cold War 1947-49: The Communist takeover – and Stalinization -

of Eastern Europe 1949: The Communist victory in China 1950-53: The Korean War Growing fears of a coming World War III

Stalin’s last supper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T75ECk5HqVo&feature=relmfu

Stalin is buried: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Wojz2-6vM2o

Stalin’s regime could not be maintained after his death--Extreme degree of state domination over society, permanent emergency rule, mass terror cannot be maintained for long --Communist elites needed more normal, more stable regimes in which they would be secure from dangers from:

the dictatorsthe people

--War with the West was not inevitable; coexistence between the two systems was possible; the Korean War could be stopped by negotiation

Changes were inevitable: they were in the interests both of the rulers and of the ruled

BUT: Stalinist features remained at the foundation of communist power--Communist bureaucracy reigned as the New Class (nomenklatura); no interest in sharing power--One-party systems--Control of information--Mechanisms of repression (security services, the military) remained in place

From the death of Stalin to the collapse of communism:

In each communist country: attempts to develop viable political-economic systems which would:

--secure the dominance of communist elites,

and

--make state socialism attractive – or at least acceptable - to the masses

Return to the past was impossible

Options for the future:

--National Stalinism (Albania, Romania, China)

--Reform socialism

--Capitalism

National Stalinism would simply prolong the agony. Reform socialism required a strong commitment to

democracy from the ruling elites. They needed to take big risks with democratization But the fear of losing power prevented most of them from

taking such risks And when some of them would venture risky democratic

strategies, Soviet hardliners would intervene (Hungary, 1956, Moscow, 1964, Czechoslovakia, 1968, Poland, 1981, Moscow, 1991)

Ultimately (in 1989-91), the elites opted for national capitalism

The role of nationalism The nationalist-communist fusion in its various forms Sources of nationalist agendas in communist countries:

Nation-building processes were spurred on by state socialism National communist elites sought to reduce or overthrow

imperial control Part of the reform process, an element of democratization

The Timeline

The Thaw: 1953-1964

The Conservative Era: 1964-1985

Reforms and Collapse: 1985-1991

Leaders of de-Stalinization,1950s-60s: Iosip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia) Nikita Khrushchev (USSR) Wladyslaw Gomulka (Poland) Imre Nagy (Hungary) Alexander Dubcek (Czechoslovakia)

Yugoslavia: Josip Broz Tito

The USSR: Nikita Khrushchev

Poland: Wladyslaw Gomulka

Hungary:Imre Nagy

Czechoslovakia: Alexander Dubcek

THE THAW 1953: Stalin’s death, first moves towards liberalization in

USSR and Eastern Europe 1956:

The rise of Nikita Khrushchev The 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party:

Khrushchev’s secret speech denounces Stalin Upheaval in Poland The Hungarian revolution and its suppression

1957: Stalinists attempt to overthrow Khrushchev 1961: Khrushchev renews his anti-Stalinist campaign; new

Party programme promises the beginning of full communism within 20 years

1962: The Cuban missile crisis. The Novocherkassk massacre

1964: Khrushchev is deposed by conservatives

A new society: product of socialist transformations Increasingly urbanized Rapidly growing educational levels Class struggle is over Rising expectations of peace and a better, freer life Women, youth, intellectuals: new social demands Citizens losing fear of the state

Khrushchev in black and white: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQAqkhb82js

Changes in the Soviet system during The Thaw End of mass terror, release of millions from GULAG,

reform of security police Return of most deportees to their homelands Major improvements in the quality of life of the population Official renunciation of Stalinism Relaxation of Party control on information and culture Attempts at accommodation with the West

Cultural dissent: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfpblm_y-y-yyyyyyy-

yyyyy-cyyyyyy-yyyyyyyy-byzakelis_shortfilms http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x84l0f_yyyyyyyyy-

yyyyy-yyyyy-yyyyyyy_music?from=rss&hmz=706c61796572

Nuclear weapons stockpiles

Gen. Curtis B. LeMay, Chief of the Strategic Air Command, advocated all-out nuclear war to destroy Soviet Union and Red China

Spring 1961 JFK asks JCS: “If your plans for general [nuclear] war are

carried out as planned, how many people will be killed in the Soviet Union and China?”

Answer: 275 mln. instantly 325 mln. after 6 months Up to 600 mln. total for Europe and Asia*

http://www.japanfocus.org/-Daniel-Ellsberg/3222

China’s leader Mao Zedong urged Khrushchev to wage nuclear war against the West

A US Navy destroyer intercepting a Soviet freighter off Cuba

THE CONSERVATIVE ERA 1964: Khrushchev is deposed by the Party leadership Leonid Brezhnev

becomes the head of the Soviet Communist Party 1965:

Limited market reforms announced in USSR First public trials of dissidents

1966: Hungary introduces New Economic Mechanism 1968:

Protests and repression in Poland The Prague Spring and its suppression

1969: The Sino-Soviet military conflict 1970: In Poland, worker protests lead to the fall of Gomulka 1971-72: The start of détente between the USSR and the West 1979: Détente is over; the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 1980-81: The rise of Polish Solidarity; martial law is imposed 1982: Brezhnev’s death and the succession crisis 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary

Leonid Brezhnev, top Soviet leader, 1964-82

August 21, 1968: Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia, 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVIp5lUJhCs

Andrei Sakharov

Soviet-Western détente: Brezhnev with Nixon, 1972

Soviet-Western détente: Brezhnev with US President Carter, 1979