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The stalinist dictatorship and reaction 1941-1964 - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Stalin's personal dominance increased. He increasingly by-passed both the government and party. He was head of both. He demoted the role of the party. The party congress was not held after 1939. The politburo was reduced to an advisory board. Party membership was reduced. Stalin's cult of personality meant that he was viewed as a god and as the worlds leading genius. Stalin was seen as omnipresent in his later life. He became more worshipped than Lenin and even the Tsar.
    - - Although there were some moves to reduce censorship, it still existed. Lots of people avoided it by publishing their work abroad. Poetry readings occurred in Moscow and they were listened to Students until 1961 when they were arrested for "attempting to undermine the government" Students lost their place at university. Writers who were considered hostile were put in labour camps and some even sent to mental hospitals. This was against freedom of speech
    - - The State Defence Committee (GKO) was set up by the politburo and headed by Stalin. This body was given power over all existing party and state bodies. Stalin was acting as a dictator. The GKO was set up to supervise the military, Political and economic life of Russia. Stalin did give some military planning to his commanders. He reintroduced to the church and It claimed that Stalin was the 'God-chosen' leader of the soviet union. The reintroduction of the church is not marxist
  - - - Socialist realism was the dominant ideal, It meant seeing life as it was becoming and ought to be, Cultural forms were encouraged and inspired by the ideals of socialism and the building of a bright future. Paintings portrayed idealised collective farming and literature was meant to proclaim a positive future using simple language that was available to the masses. Terror against enemies of the regime was still used to protect the state. The NKVD was strengthened to help keep its surveillance. Centralised economy continued with gosplan at the expense of GKO and reintroducing five year plans. Stalin tried to initiate collective farms.
    - - Initially there was collective leadership following Stalin's death. Destalinisation led to a new era where people believed a new society would be created with artistic freedom. Stalin was declared an enemy of the people. Khrushchev's aim was to increase power of the party giving greater democracy and say to the proletariat. The party and government institutions had a new level important as centres for political debate and decision making after the power struggle. The secret police was reduced in size and once again controlled by the party. Khrushchev's removal of Beria gave the party influence again. The party was enlarged from 7 million to 11 million bringing in more working class members Khrushchev looked as if he was moving towards the final communist stage when he introduced decentralisation. The terror was ended, with violence against internal enemies was no longer needed.
    - - Stalin used terror but this terror was for a purpose which is supported by Marx. Russia's centralised economy supported by GKO allowed the USSR to survive as Stalin could control production from the centre. Agricultural survival was based on rationing and quotas.
- - - - Factories, mines and steel works re-opened at astonishing rates during the 4th and 5th FYP. The whole population was mobilised to rebuild the USSR. Everybody had to work an additional 30 hours per month to help rebuild Leningrad. National income increased by 71%. Extra taxes were introduced in 1947 such as a tax on fruit trees on private allotments. The increased taxation shows change. Stalin wanted to revive the Ukrainian wheat fields. During the 4th FYP the collective farms output increased with food rationing ending 1947, however this did not return to the levels of the 1930's. Livestock numbers increased between 1945-50 47 to 65.3 million cattle.
    - - Massive change following the disruption of WW2. 31,000 industries were destroyed during the conflict which needed to be rebuilt, this totalled 70% of the industry. The relocation of factories during the war meant that new resources could be exploited in the west. In the Urals new factories were built for the war effort. By 1943 the USSR's industrial output was higher than Germany. Industry was also really damaged due to the scorched earth policy nearly 100,000 collectives had stopped functioning and with the losses to the male population it caused problems for the labour force.
    - - Khrushchev introduced decentralisation of the economy. The USSR was split into 105 economic zones, each with its own economic council. Centralisation caused problems as ministers in Moscow set targets for individual industries and they were often set targets for individual industries and they were often out of touch with reality. Decentralisation was supposed to allow more reasonable targets to be set. The seven year plan was a massive change in the USSR's economy, its aim was to improve the standard of living, a 40 hour week was introduced and a 40% wage rise from 1965 and it had the aim of overtaking the USA. The program featured new initiatives. Such as; the expansion of the chemical industry, especially plastics and fertilisers. There was an increased production of consumer goofs and greater exploitation of the USSRs natural resources.
      - There was a focus on developing technology, such as railways which were given engines over coal. in 1957 the USSR launched the worlds first satellite and finally achieved the first man in space. between 1955-65 there was a huge increase in electricity production, tractor production increased from 314,000 to 804,000 and so did TV sets. Khrushchev put peasants at the centre of his economic policies. He reduced taxes and cut quotas on private plots and collectives were even allowed to set their own quotas. Cereals increased from 82 million tones to 132 million. Meat production increased from 5.2 million to 9.1 million. Milk production increased from 36 million to 63 million tons.
  - - - A centralised economy was reintroduced with Gosplan introducing the 4th and 5th five year plans. The aim of these was heavy industry. it also maintained wartime labour force with low wages, long hours and high targets. Gosplan was setting targets again. 85% of the investment was focused on heavy industry. prisoners of war were used as slave labour. Stalin ignored the development of consumer goods and building new houses which were essential for WW2 rebuilding. Stalin tried to initiate collective farms again. Peasants continued to own very little. Workers from the gulags and camps were still used to help build the economy
    - - Despite introducing decentralisation, Khrushchev later introduced the Supreme Economic Council to supervise the new 7 year plan. This still hints that a certain amount of centralisation existed. Standards of living did improve but only very little change was seen. First supermarkets didn't use tills which shows not all industries were improving. New measures failed to encourage peasants to work on their communal plots despite private plots providing about half of the income.