Section 15.2 Outline: “From Lenin to Stalin”
A. Building the Communist Soviet Union 1. Government was both democratic and socialistic. Democratic: Elected legislature called “The Supreme Soviet” was organized: All citizens over 18 could vote
Socialistic: All political, power, resources, and means of production were supposedly owned by the people. b. USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922): Russia and other areas of the old Russian Empire were united.
Flag of the USSR
USSR in the World
USSR
Symbol of the USSR
Fictional Character from the former Soviet Union
2. Government in Theory vs. Government in Practice Government in theory: People shared equal rights everyone produced to improve the state Government in practice: Communist party reigned supreme and used the army and secret police to enforce its will
NEP: The New Economic Policy: replaced “war communism” a.Lenin compromised with capitalism: peasants could own small plots of land and small businesses reopened for private profit b.Offset some of the economic problems in Russia c.State continued to control banks, large industries, and foreign trade
B. Stalin vs. Trotsky: After Lenin’s death, competition for power occurred 1.Joseph Stalin: Did not play a large role in the revolution, but as party secretary in the 1920’s, he built a group of Communist officials close to him. 2.Leon Trotsky: A skilled speaker, a brilliant thinker, and an architect of the Bolshevik Revolution.
Leon Trotsky Joseph Stalin
3. Stalin gained power because he placed his own supporters into top jobs and isolated Trotsky within the Communist Party. 4. Trotsky was later assassinated in Mexico by a Stalinist agent.
Trotsky on his death bed
C. Stalin’s Five-Year Plans: intentions were to build heavy industry, improve transportation and increase farm output 1. Developed a command economy: Government owned all businesses and controlled all economic resources.
2. Quota System: Incentives and punishments existed for managers and workers (pertained to industrial production) 3. Mixed Results (+) Large factories, hydroelectric power stations, huge industrial complexes, oil, coal, and steel production grew: mining and railroads improved
(-) Standard of living was poor, wages were low, and consumer goods were scarce: low quality goods were produced.
4. Revolution in Agriculture a.Peasants gave up their private plots and lived on collectives: Peasants shared farm resources like machines and animals b.Government taught agricultural innovation and provided agricultural materials.
5. A ruthless agricultural policy a.Peasant protest met ruthless policy: Stalin sent kulaks and protestors of his policies to labor camps in Siberia (1) thousands were killed or starved in Siberia
b. Ruthless policy + poor harvests = terrible famine c. Effect of collectivization: increased Stalin’s control, but farming output was relatively unchanged
D. The Great Purge: Stalin and his secret police cracked down on Old Bolsheviks and party activists who, according to Stalin, threatened the USSR 1.Used “show trials” to convict, incarcerate, and execute Russians. 2.Over four million people of the Soviet Union were killed by the Stalin regime 3.Stalin replaced party leaders with young party members who owed absolute loyalty to Stalin 4. Price of Purges: the death of military leaders produced a disadvantage in World War II.
E. Soviet Foreign Policy: Goal was to spread Communism and strengthen national security through global cooperation 1.Comintern: Organized by Lenin to aid revolutionary groups against imperial powers 2. Sought national security by improving relations with western governments. a. Joined the League of Nations 3. The Red Scare: Western countries feared the spread of Communism in their own countries.
Translation: “Long Live the Great Stalin”
Translation: “We will turn the Five Year Plan into a four year plan”
Soviet Propaganda Poster “ Lenin: The New Brush that sweeps clean”
Translation: "The Spirit of Great Lenin and His Victorious Banner inspires us during this Great Patriotic War"
Soviet propaganda poster