State Socialism After Stalin

The Logic of Post-Stalinism

The Timeline

The Command Economy

The Politics of State Socialism

The Logic of Post-Stalinism

Stalinism was unviable--Extreme degree of state control over society – hard to

maintain, permanent emergency rule --War was no longer on the horizon; capitalism was stabilizing: the challenges of peace and prosperity--Communist elites needed more normal, stable regimes in

which they would be secure from challenges both from above and from below

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

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

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 impossibleOptions for the future:--National Stalinism (Albania, Romania, China)--Reform socialism--Liberal 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 them from

taking such risks Or, 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 capitalism

The TimelineThe Thaw: 1953-1964The Conservative Era: 1964-1985Reforms and Collapse: 1985-1991

1953-1964: 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

1964-1985: THE CONSERVATIVE ERA 1964: 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

1985-1991: REFORMS AND COLLAPSE

The Command Economy

Please see the following links:

PLANNED ECONOMY FACTS AND INFORMATION

Modern Corporation

The Politics of State Socialism

Basic methods of social control*

authority (the power of command)exchange (the power of deal)persuasion (the power of idea)moral codes (the power of belief)

Each political-economic system relies on a specific combination of these methods

Under state socialism, the power of command dwarfed all other methods The command economy and one-party rule reinforced each

other Extreme centralization of economic and political power Fear of exchange – the specter of capitalist restoration Inefficiency and social discontent

*See Charles Lindblom, Politics and Markets, Basic Books, 1976

The Communist Party under state socialism The system’s core The principle of hierarchy (“democratic centralism”) The Party leadership controls all mechanisms of the state,

including economic management Assuring the mass base through Party membership Control of information (little or no media freedom, heavy use

of propaganda, control of the cultural sphere) The key role of security organs

Cannot be used against Party leadership Use of force only under extreme circumstances Manipulation of political processes Surveillance, informer networks Preventive measures against dissent

The Soviet society: new classes, new expectations, new relations and structures

The ruling class (NOMENKLATURA) Ambivalent social status: the question of ownership Does not need a dictator – WHY? Increasingly confident of its power and right to rule Big, diverse, interested in decentralization – WHY? Reformers, Stalinists, pragmatic conservatives

A new society

Increasingly urbanized Rapidly growing educational levels Class struggle is declared over Raised in the spirit of democratic expectations

(even if within the limits of official ideology) Demanding higher living standards Women, youth, intellectuals: new social demands Development of nationalist sentiments Citizens losing fear of the state

The essence of the reform processStates and societies created by the communists enter into a process of complex interactions:

--between the rulers and the ruled

--between different social groups

--between internal and external forces

Both conflicts and accomodation

Challenges to political leaders

Open-ended outcomes

Successes and failures

The main components of the reform process – addressing the system’s flaws

DECENTRALIZATION LIBERALIZATION MARKETIZATION DEMILITARIZATION OPENING TO THE WORLD

The outcome depended on many factors – both internal and external

State socialism had to prove its viability under conditions of peace

Decentralization Achieving rational distribution of power between

different levels of communist state structure Within the USSR:

More power to national republics Within the Soviet bloc:

Loosening of Soviet control over Eastern Europe

Limits: Fear of loss of control Requires liberalization The dynamics of nationalism

Liberalization Reducing state domination over society New society expects the state to be democratic –

serving the people (influence of ideology – both communist and Western)

The international environment fosters those expectations

No mass repressions; lesser role for security organs

Relaxation of controls over cultural life Development of pluralism within the ruling party

How far could communists go down this road?

Marketization Restoration of elements of market systems Considerations of economic efficiency Growing consumer demands Interests of managers, entrepreneurs

Problems: Does the revival of market forces make restoration

of capitalism inevitable? What do the people want – capitalism or

socialism? ALTERNATIVE MODEL – MARKET SOCIALISM

Demilitarization Reducing the burden of military expenditures Dismantling the “battle order” (partial) War is not inevitable

Counterfactors: Power of the military-industrial complex The international environment (competition with

the West, upheavals in the Third World) Persistence of militarized thinking

Opening to the World Wider participation in the global economy Peaceful coexistence with capitalism Arms control and disarmament Wider cultural and human contacts with foreign

countries

Counterfactors: Moscow feared loss of control over Eastern Europe Dangers of ideological “contamination” International advocacy of human rights challenged

communist rulers