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Why did the terror happen? (Consolidating the power of the NKDV (NKDV…
Why did the terror happen?
Protect the revolution (internal)
motives
eliminate all rivals
so no one can form an alternative government
determined to be in position of absolute power
control the people - the terror crushed opposition
War threat late 1930 - Hitler
didn't want anyone to slow down
pace of industrialization bc Soviets needs ARMS
remove anyone who might oppose his foreign policy
Economic problems
downturn in soviet economy 1936 due to
stalin's management of economy
bad harvest
technical problems
Stalin's fault
Encourage criticism from workers below:)) Stalin wanted to shake up managers + economic admins
grassroot criticisms got out of control set the atmosphere
STAKHANOVITE MVM
- Stakhaniovites put Pa on mangers by demanding tools/materials to increase production rate or else = manager seen as wreckers
scapegoats for failures
Consolidating the power of the NKDV
NKDV responsible for murder of Kirov
terrroe help them raise their profile - become leading institution in USSR
target fullfillment mentality leads to increase no. of victims
forced confessions-> further denunciations
view that any slowdown after 5 yr planwould make them appear less indispensible
Responding to external threats
increase chance of war - Hitler became chancellor of Ger
anxiety of security threats posed by Soviet ethnic minorities- 'national sweeps' 1937-8
pressure to develope arms industry
Control society
5 Year Plan
mass urbanisation
- social tension and violence in overcrowded cities; lacked basic neccessities
hostility towards the party - official worry a loss of control in a 'quicksand society'
government resorted to terror/purges to stifle
LINK TO ECON: campaign encourage ppl to criticise officials instead of the government direct hostility away - STAKHANOVITE
Problems within the party
problems controlling the party in region/localities due to "sloth and inertia"
edicts from the central party conflicts w/ other demands
local party dint want to find kulak bc they were valuable men
Industrial towns: party bosses didnt want to purge specialist
Party leaders react
encourage lower lvl to criticise those higher up - rush of accusations (got out of control)
showtrials - paranoia enforce order
Stalin's own personality
traits
narcisstic
idealised view of himself as hero of revolution can transform the counytryy
paranoid
purge of rivals/demoted/executed