StalinismStalinism

By Mr. StankusBy Mr. Stankus

THE BIG QUESTIONTHE BIG QUESTION

WHAT IS STALINISM?WHAT IS STALINISM?

• Stalinism is a “Communist” style of Stalinism is a “Communist” style of government created in the Soviet Union government created in the Soviet Union (Russia) under the dictatorship of Josef (Russia) under the dictatorship of Josef Stalin.Stalin.

• Who was Stalin?Who was Stalin?

JOSEF STALIN: "THE MAN OF STEEL"JOSEF STALIN: "THE MAN OF STEEL"

Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), or properly Iosif Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), or properly Iosif Vissarionovich DzhugashviliVissarionovich Dzhugashvili

Communist Dictator of USSR after Communist Dictator of USSR after Lenin (1929-1953)Lenin (1929-1953)

O great Stalin, O leader of the peoples,O great Stalin, O leader of the peoples,Thou who broughtest man to birth.Thou who broughtest man to birth.Thou who fructifies the earth,Thou who fructifies the earth,Thou who restorest to centuries,Thou who restorest to centuries,Thou who makest bloom the spring,Thou who makest bloom the spring,Thou who makest vibrate the musical chords...Thou who makest vibrate the musical chords...Thou, splendour of my spring, O thou,Thou, splendour of my spring, O thou,Sun reflected by millions of hearts. Sun reflected by millions of hearts.

---A. O.Avidenko---A. O.Avidenko

THE COMMUNIST PARTYTHE COMMUNIST PARTY

• The only political party allowed.The only political party allowed.

• The party was controlled by its executive arm - the The party was controlled by its executive arm - the Politburo. Politburo.

• Key members of the Politburo were: Key members of the Politburo were: 1. Lenin - complete head 1. Lenin - complete head 2. Trotsky - war commissar 2. Trotsky - war commissar 3. Stalin - secretary-general 3. Stalin - secretary-general

STALIN TAKING OVERSTALIN TAKING OVER

• Lenin was wary of Stalin. Lenin was wary of Stalin. • After Lenin's death in 1924, a After Lenin's death in 1924, a

power struggle took place power struggle took place between Trotsky and Stalin. between Trotsky and Stalin.

• Trotsky wanted communistic Trotsky wanted communistic revolutions world wide revolutions world wide CominternComintern..

• Stalin favored concentrating Stalin favored concentrating on building up the country. on building up the country.

STALIN IN POWERSTALIN IN POWER • Stalin was in complete Stalin was in complete

control of the USSR by control of the USSR by 1929. 1929.

• Stalin had Trotsky exiled Stalin had Trotsky exiled in 1929. He was in 1929. He was assassinated in Mexico in assassinated in Mexico in 1940. 1940.

STALIN’S PLANSSTALIN’S PLANS

INDUSTRIALINDUSTRIAL• Five Year PlansFive Year Plans

– state planning stressing heavy state planning stressing heavy industries, i.e., steel, machinery, industries, i.e., steel, machinery, electrical, and defense.electrical, and defense.

• Before W.W.II, the USSR was Before W.W.II, the USSR was ranked #3 in industrial power ranked #3 in industrial power behind the U.S. and Germany.behind the U.S. and Germany.

• Five Year Plans (1928-1940), Five Year Plans (1928-1940), saw a 400% increase in saw a 400% increase in production.production.

• Russia sacrificed consumer Russia sacrificed consumer goods (luxuries).goods (luxuries).

AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

• collectivization of agriculture collectivization of agriculture – regrouping peasants on collective regrouping peasants on collective

and state farms. and state farms.

• Stalin brutally prosecuted the Stalin brutally prosecuted the kulaks (more prosperous kulaks (more prosperous farmers). farmers).

• Perhaps 10 million people died Perhaps 10 million people died in forced collectivization.in forced collectivization.

COLLECTIVE FARMS OF THE USSR, 1929-1940COLLECTIVE FARMS OF THE USSR, 1929-1940

YearYearNo. of collective No. of collective farms in 1,000'sfarms in 1,000's

Sown area of collect- Sown area of collect- ive farms, mill. h/acresive farms, mill. h/acres

% of collective sown area % of collective sown area serviced by MTSserviced by MTS

19291929 57.057.0 4.24.2 --

19301930 85.985.9 38.138.1 27.427.4

19311931 211.1211.1 79.079.0 37.1 37.1

19321932 211.1211.1 91.5 91.5 49.349.3

10331033 224.6 224.6 93.6 93.6 58.7 58.7

19341934 233.3 233.3 98.6 98.6 63.963.9

19351935 245.4 245.4 104.5 104.5 72.4 72.4

19361936 242.2 242.2 110.5110.5 82.8 82.8

19371937 243.7243.7 116.0 116.0 91.2 91.2

19381938 242.4242.4 117.2 117.2 93.3 93.3

19391939 241.1 241.1 114.9 114.9 94.0 94.0

19401940 236.3236.3 117.6117.6 94.5 94.5

(N.B. - The decrease in the numbers of collective farms after 1935 was due to the merging of small collective (N.B. - The decrease in the numbers of collective farms after 1935 was due to the merging of small collective farms in a number of districts)farms in a number of districts)

INTERNAL POLICIESINTERNAL POLICIES

• Stalin was ruthless to Stalin was ruthless to critics. critics.

• In the 1930's he In the 1930's he introduced the purges. introduced the purges.

• He made use of his He made use of his secret police in secret police in enforcing internal enforcing internal policy. policy.

PURGESPURGES

• Stalin got rid of anyone associated with Lenin and the military.

FOREIGN POLICYFOREIGN POLICY

• In 1934 the USSR was admitted to the In 1934 the USSR was admitted to the league of nations.league of nations.

• Because of attacks by Hitler against Because of attacks by Hitler against communism, Stalin had made an alliance communism, Stalin had made an alliance with France in 1935 against Nazi with France in 1935 against Nazi Germany. Germany.

• The USSR also aided the loyalists against The USSR also aided the loyalists against the German supported nationalists (under the German supported nationalists (under general Franco) in the Spanish civil war general Franco) in the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). (1936-1939).

• In 1939, Stalin shocked the world by In 1939, Stalin shocked the world by signing a non-aggression pact with nazi signing a non-aggression pact with nazi Germany.Germany.

REVIEWREVIEW

• How successful was Stalin at transforming Russia?How successful was Stalin at transforming Russia?– Russia became Industrialized under the 5 Year Plans. (Russia Russia became Industrialized under the 5 Year Plans. (Russia

suffered from consumer shortages and a lower standard of suffered from consumer shortages and a lower standard of living)living)

– Russian agricultural output increased. (millions of Peasants Russian agricultural output increased. (millions of Peasants died)died)

– Despite world opposition, Communism survived the Despite world opposition, Communism survived the Depression, the Second World War, and the Cold War. Depression, the Second World War, and the Cold War. (Stalin secured Communism by terrorist actions by the secret (Stalin secured Communism by terrorist actions by the secret police and with purges)police and with purges)

Quiz on Stalin

THE "FATHER OF THE PEOPLE"THE "FATHER OF THE PEOPLE"

• Stalin's propaganda Stalin's propaganda machine presented machine presented him to his fellow him to his fellow Soviets as a fatherly or Soviets as a fatherly or kindly figure. kindly figure.

• To some, he would To some, he would better be described as better be described as the "butcher of his the "butcher of his people".people".

"BUTCHER OF HIS PEOPLE""BUTCHER OF HIS PEOPLE"• Stalin ruled by terror during most of his years as dictator. Stalin ruled by terror during most of his years as dictator. • Stalin also was responsible for the deaths of millions of Soviet Stalin also was responsible for the deaths of millions of Soviet

peasants who opposed his program of collective agriculture peasants who opposed his program of collective agriculture (government control of farms). (government control of farms).

• The Soviet people had cause to hate Stalin, and much of the The Soviet people had cause to hate Stalin, and much of the world feared him. Stalin had little personal charm, and could world feared him. Stalin had little personal charm, and could be brutal to even his closest friends. be brutal to even his closest friends.

• After Stalin became dictator, he had Soviet histories rewritten After Stalin became dictator, he had Soviet histories rewritten to make his role in past events appear far greater than it really to make his role in past events appear far greater than it really was. was.

• Stalin died in 1953. He was honored by having his body Stalin died in 1953. He was honored by having his body placed beside that of Lenin in a huge tomb in Red Square in placed beside that of Lenin in a huge tomb in Red Square in Moscow.Moscow.

ASSIGNMENT: STALIN ON TRIAL

• Josef Stalin is being put on trial by the courts for Josef Stalin is being put on trial by the courts for crimes against the Country of Russia.crimes against the Country of Russia.

• You will be assigned the role of Prosecuting You will be assigned the role of Prosecuting Attorney or Defense AttorneyAttorney or Defense Attorney

• You are to come up with an opening statement to You are to come up with an opening statement to the court explaining why Josef Stalin should be the court explaining why Josef Stalin should be considered the “father of his people” or the considered the “father of his people” or the “butcher of his people”.“butcher of his people”.

WEB SOURCESWEB SOURCESStalinism • WEB Revelations From the Russian Archives [At LC] A tremendous resource. • Josef Stalin (1879-1953): Marxism and the National Question 1913 [At Stalin Internet Archive] • Josef Stalin (1879-1953): Trotskyism or Leninism? 1924 [At Stalin Internet Archive] • Josef Stalin (1879-1953): Industrialization of the Country , 1928 [At this Site] • Josef Stalin (1879-1953): Dialectical and Historical Materialism 1936 [At Stalin Internet Archive] • Dizzy With Success: Concerning Questions of the Collective Farm Movement , from Pravda, March 2, 1930. [At

Durham] • Collective Farms of the USSR, 1929-1940 [At Durham] • Memorandum on the Grain Problem , 1932 [At LC]

The memo which indicates the deliberate start of the Ukrainian famine. • Constitution of the USSR, 1936 [At Bucknell] or represented as an Organizational Chart [At Brooklyn] • Joseph Stalin: Dialectical and Historical Materialism (September 1938) [At Atbin] • Hymn to Stalin, The cult of personality. • Osip Mandelstam (1934?), and Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1962): Poems on Stalin [At this Site] • The Soviet Purges: Official Explanation, 1936, excerpts [At this Site] • The Case of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist Centre, Heard before the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of

the U.S.S.R., Moscow, August 19-24, 1936" (Overview) [Divided into 10 files][At Artbin] • N.I. Bukharin: Last Plea, from "The case of the Anti-Soviet 'Bloc of Rights and Trotskyites', Heard before the Military

Colegium of the Supreme Court of the U.S.S.R., Moscow, March 2-13, 1938 [At Artbin] • Rapprochement between The Orthodox Church and Soviet Government. Speech of M. G. Karpov at Council of the

Orthodox Church, 1945. [At Durham] • http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/03/11/stalin-resurrected-in-russia/• http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090322045812AAtIyAr• http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,473245,00.html

JOSEF STALINJOSEF STALIN• IMPORTANT DATES IN STALIN'S LIFEIMPORTANT DATES IN STALIN'S LIFE

• 1879............... (Dec. 21) Born into poverty in Gori, Russia.1879............... (Dec. 21) Born into poverty in Gori, Russia.

• 1901............... Joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party.1901............... Joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party.

• 1905............... Met Lenin for the first time.1905............... Met Lenin for the first time.

• 1912............... Named by Lenin to Bolshevik Party Central Committee.1912............... Named by Lenin to Bolshevik Party Central Committee.

• 1917............... Named commissar of nationalities after Bolshevik revolution.1917............... Named commissar of nationalities after Bolshevik revolution.

• 1922............... Appointed general secretary of Communist Party.1922............... Appointed general secretary of Communist Party.

• 1928............... Began five-year plans to industrialize the U.S.S.R.1928............... Began five-year plans to industrialize the U.S.S.R.

• 1929............... Became dictator of the Soviet Union.1929............... Became dictator of the Soviet Union.

• 1935............... Began great purge of Communist Party members.1935............... Began great purge of Communist Party members.

• 1939............... The U.S.S.R. signed a nonaggression pact with Germany.1939............... The U.S.S.R. signed a nonaggression pact with Germany.

• 1941............... Named himself premier of the Soviet Union.1941............... Named himself premier of the Soviet Union.

• 1941............... Germany attacked the U.S.S.R. during World War II.1941............... Germany attacked the U.S.S.R. during World War II.

• 1953............... (March 5) Died in Moscow.1953............... (March 5) Died in Moscow.