...DOCUMENT ANALYSIS Joseph Stalin: Industrialization of the country, 1928 Prepared by: Yulia Kirillova ID: 10095380 The Soviet Union was founded in 1922, when the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia. After the death of its first leader, Vladimir Lenin, there was a power struggle from which Joseph Stalin emerged as winner for the control of the Communist party. By the day of Lenin’s death there were five candidates with the potential to emerge as the new leader of the U.S.S.R: Stalin, Trotsky, Bukharin, Zinoviev, and Kamenev; Bukharin belonged to the “Rightists” and wished to continue Lenin’s economic policy, which gave more economic freedom for the peasants and promoted agriculture, Zinoviev and Kamenev wanted state control of economic life, Trotsky believed in the importance of a worldwide communist revolution, and Stalin filled the room for interpretation in Marxist though with the concept that he called “socialism in one country”. That was a significant shift from the previously held Marxist position that socialism must be established globally, and was in sharp opposition to Leon Trotsky’s theory of permanent revolution. In contrast to what Trotsky thought and envisioned for Russia, Stalin believed that the success of Marxism in Russia was dependent on the construction of a successful soviet union, rather than a multitude of communist revolutions throughout the world. One step towards building a successful Soviet Union, as Stalin saw it, was the introduction...
Words: 1196 - Pages: 5
...Lauren O'Grady Lenin, Stalin, and Gorbachev: Their Impact on Russia's History Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, and Mikhail Gorbachev all played remarkable roles in Russia's history, although in very different ways. Though each could be criticized or praised for various different policies, these three leaders were perhaps undeniably the most influential leaders of Russia's history in the last hundred years. Vladimir Lenin's influence on Russia started with the release of his book What's to be Done? In 1902. When the leaders of Russian Marxism gathered for a meeting in 1903, Lenin's ideas clashed with Iuli Martov's idea of a looser, more democratic workers' party. Due to this disagreement, was complicated by other conflicts, and from this meeting Russian Marxism was split into two factions (Simkin). Lenin's faction was called the Bolsheviks (majority) while the other referred to themselves as the Mensheviks (minority). When the Revolution of 1905 occurred in Russia, widespread revolt against the czar's government spread throughout the country. However, it was eventually demolished by the government. This revolt surprised all Russian leaders, including the Bolsheviks, Lenin managed to return to Russia only in November, when the defeat of the revolution was pretty much certain (Talbot). Over the next twelve years, Bolshevism, with Lenin at it's head, gradually emerged as an independent party that had cut it's ties with all other Russian...
Words: 2713 - Pages: 11
...Ebsco! Outline A Totalitarian regime is when one political party rules the government and controls all decision making. Such a regime will usually seek to control the life of every individual, their ideology, the society, and economy. Therefore the leader has to be dynamic and possess the qualities of persuasion, giving their...
Words: 1217 - Pages: 5
...Essay response to: Why did Stalin implement forced Industrialization, Collectivized Agriculture, and the Terror in the Soviet Union? Why did many Soviet peoples cooperate in this “Stalin Revolution,” despite the violence, cruelty, and tremendous sacrifices involved? Joseph Jughashvili (1878 – 1953), later known as Joseph Stalin believed that industrialization was necessary in order to create a true proletariat class so a true communist revolution could occur. Stalin and true Marxists believed that only through a modern industrialized economy could a true proletariat class be developed. Additionally, Stalin believed that the Soviet Union was “backward” and behind in the times and had to catch up with the rest of the world, otherwise the Nation would be conquered. Stalin made this clear when he said, “we are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. Either we do it, or they crush us” (Perry, 193). In doing so, Stalin brought about sweeping changes of economic reform. While Vladimir Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP) was successful in returning agricultural harvests to prewar levels, by the late 1920’s, Stalin sided with the critics of Lenin’s NEP in that the Soviet Union could not catch up with other industrialized countries by relying on taxes from peasant farmers (Coffin/Stacey, 908). In 1927, Stalin implemented the first five-year plan, which he referred to as the “revolution from above” and called for a command economy (McKay et al., 907). The five-year...
Words: 1930 - Pages: 8
...bipolar powers into, which happened to be the USA and the Soviet Union. The American foreign policy did have an impact on the Cold War however, was not the cause. This revisionist view presents America to be the cause of the Cold War. America’s main foreign policy was to secure free markets in which they saw the Soviet Union as an obstacle to achieve this. This led to tension between the two superpowers and a more aggressive War between the bipolar powers. The US also used the atomic bomb as a deliberate foreign policy to pressure the Soviet Union. Source K also holds this view that 'after the atomic bomb was created and used... it left the Soviets with but one real option: either they acquiesce in American proposals or be confronted with American power and hostility.' This led to more aggressive Soviet behaviour because by the USA not informing Stalin of such major equipment, he felt as though he could no longer trust the West. However, the Baruch plan in June 1946 proposed joint US and USSR control over the production of atomic weapons in which the USSR refused. Marshall Aid (1947) was part of the US foreign policy where Truman poured money into countries in Europe in order to prevent them from turning to Communism due to devastating damage done to their economies as a result of World War 2 (1939-1945). The USA used the Marshall aid to establish an informal American empire in Europe in order to ensure their economy is subject to their...
Words: 1354 - Pages: 6
...her domestic economic and political affairs throughout 1941-1945. The war featured social effects; the ‘war of annihilation’ of the Russian citizens by Germany in pursuit of Moscow and the increased need of unity and patriotism domestically, economic effects; the complete transition to Russian war time economy to fuel the war and the devastation of Russian industries, however it was the consolidation of Stalin’s communist leadership that was to reign the most significant in terms of its domestic impact but also its lasting effect. The Great Patriotic war forced the Russian economy to transition into a war time economy to fuel the war effort. The final one and a half years of the 3rd five year plan saw a shift into a wartime economy as the Germany invaded Russia; increasing economic mobilisation and increased its PPP usage towards supplying the front with more resources, even more efficiently than Germany due to the war economy. By 1943 60% of Russian output was devoted to its war effort, keeping Soviet army and navy adequately supplied with rearmaments, food, and fuel throughout the war. Through propaganda, Russian labour production shifted importance from developing the economy to contributing to the war, (see extract D). “Every hit of the hammer is a hit on the enemy” directly resonates to the industrial workers that their work effort is now a prominent war tool and is equal to a soldier in the front line; depicting the steel sparks as bullets towards Hitler whom is the personification...
Words: 2023 - Pages: 9
...removed, the differences in the political ideologies of the east and west were immediately highlighted consequently causing an initial rise in tension. Although at the time Stalin and the Soviet Union were solely thought to be to blame for the intense rise in tension during 1945-1949, there were more subtle and underlying issues which provoked more aggressive and inflammatory actions from the USSR which created this illusion that the East was the main instigator of tension. Stalin’s pragmatic political ideas of communist expansion contributed greatly to the increase in tension in the late 1940s; following the ACC granting the USSR a zone of the newly distributed Germany, the Ussr wanted to expand their communist sphere of influence outside of their controlled zones and with the annexation of Eastern Poland came the opportunity to introduce communism even though they had declared through the council that Poland should have the right to choose their own government through free elections. This policy of free elections to those nations who had lost the right to self-govern during the war had been supported in the Atlantic charter by Roosevelt and Churchill in 1941 where it stated that “people should have the right to choose their own form of government”. However, the Atlantic charter was dismissed by Stalin in many countries including Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania where elections were rigged to allow the communist parties existing within...
Words: 1376 - Pages: 6
...The outbreak of the Cold war could be blamed on one of the three without a doubt. Ideologies differed heavily, and, Stalin, according to Truman, wanted to create a ‘sphere of influence’; ‘expanding Communism’. The traditional, or orthodox, view of the Cold War is that it started because of Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe after WWII. The orthodox view places blame for the Cold War firmly on the Soviets, and claims that the mutual buildup of arms, the espionage, and all the other stuff was just the West responding to the Soviets enlarging their area of influence and exercising influence on the governments behind the Iron Curtain. However, Stalin stated precisely that his desire was to create security for the Soviet Union, based on previous invasions from the West, especially from Germany, who crippled the country twice. It was merely a case of USA versus the Soviet Union, and Britain playing more of a supporting role for the US. The ideologies in conflict were Communism versus Capitalism/democracy, again between the two huge superpowers. Nonetheless, it could also be argued that personalities had been the prime cause. Before Truman became president and Attlee Prime Minister, Churchill and Roosevelt were in post. They were considerably easy with Stalin, and were willing to make ‘arrangements’ to meet his needs. And by many this was considered dangerous for Western countries as the threat of communism was potential. Thus, Truman became president and was much tougher in his approach...
Words: 1436 - Pages: 6
...2nd World War? The end of the 2nd world war brought a huge change in the relationship between the two superpowers, the USA and the USSR, however early underlying ideological factors may have led to an alliance and strong friendship after the war always being unlikely. The complete contrast of a Communism system, adopted by the USSR, and a Capitalism system, adopted by the USA, was a huge underlying ideological factor that hindered the relationship between the two superpowers not only at the end of the 2nd world war, but also very early on in their relationship. The Russian Revolution could be seen as the starting point of this contrast in societies between the superpowers, as it highlighted the first communism vs. capitalism divide. Communism was viewed by many governments in the west of Europe as a highly destabilising force, and they began to build a pre-conception of communism and the countries that adopt communism. The Economies and Political systems differed hugely between the communist and capitalist societies, for example in capitalist economies the incentive of individual gain was a direct contrast to the community responsibility encouraged by communism, and therefore any possible solutions to help re-build countries such as Germany after the end of the 2nd world war that suit both superpowers societies successfully would have been near enough impossible. It was not only the Communist/Capitalist divide that became an underlying ideological factor to why the relationship...
Words: 1310 - Pages: 6
...Gobbet 2- Khrusschev’s Secret Speech The Source is an extract of a speech given by Nikita Khrushchev at the Twentieth Party Congress of the Soviet Union on February 25th 1956. Khrushchev served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964. Khrushchev was responsible for the partial de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union, for backing the progress of the world's early space program, and for several relatively liberal reforms in areas of domestic policy. Stalin's political heirs fought for power after his death in 1953, a struggle in which Khrushchev, after several years, emerged triumphant. In 1956, at the Twentieth Party Congress, he delivered the "Secret Speech", vilifying Stalin and ushering in a less repressive era in the USSR. The speech was delivered on the very last day of the Congress, when it was announced that an unscheduled session had been called for the Soviet delegates. Because of the obvious secrecy of the meeting, the speech would have been unknown to those outside the conference, however an Israeli Mossad agent was in secret attendance copying its contents eventually allowing Khrushchev's denouncing of Stalin to be circulated throughout Western media. Although it was not officially published in the Soviet Union until 1988. The speech itself was based on the results of a special party commission known as the Pospelov Commission which was prepared by its...
Words: 1330 - Pages: 6
...Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili Ruthless and ambitious, Joseph Stalin grabbed control of the Soviet Union after the death of V.I. Lenin in 1924. As a member of the Bolshevik party, Joseph Stalin (his adopted name, meaning "Man of Steel") had an active role in Russia's October Revolution in 1917. He maneuvered his way up the communist party hierarchy, and in 1922 was named General Secretary of the Central Committee. By the end of the 1920s, Joseph Stalin had expelled his rival Leon Trotsky, consolidated power, and was the de facto dictator of the Soviet Union. In the 1930s Stalin executed his political enemies and started aggressive industrial and agricultural programs that were supposed to lead to miraculous improvements in production, but instead left untold thousands of peasants dead. During World War II, Joseph Stalin was the commander of the Soviet military, first making a non-aggression pact with Adolf Hitler (1939) and then joining the Allies after Germany invaded Russia in 1941. Stalin attended the postwar conferences at Yalta, Teheran and Potsdam that determined the shape of the postwar world. He endured as maximum leader until his death in 1953; years later he was denounced by his successor, Nikita Khrushchev, and "Stalinism" was officially condemned. Brief Bio Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) was the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. Under Stalin, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant society into an industrial...
Words: 1542 - Pages: 7
...359 29 May 2015 The Rise and Decline of the Soviet Union Vladimir Putin insists that “Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart, but whoever wants it back has no brain”. Sentiments like these are unsurprising because of the dynamic and yet monolithic elements of Soviet history. At times, the Soviet Union was preoccupied with mechanizing agriculture and modernizing its industrial facilities, while at other times, it seemed disinterested in evolving as a nation and ensuring that everyone would at least have the opportunity to become upwardly mobile. In the end, the cooperative public façade could not forever mask the diabolical private agenda of the Soviet Union and its quorum of leaders....
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...influenced the making of modern Russia, more than the individual. Individuals had an short term and long term impacts. Lenin is an example of an individual who had both. Because he was an undisputed Leader he was in aprime position to make significant changes. One such change would be the introduction of NEP. He believed that “economically and politically speaking the New Economic Policy completely ensures to us the possibility of building the foundation of a socialist economy.” NEP was unpopular within the Bolshevik party and so the fact that Lenin went through with it, shows his impact as an individual. Similarly ,before Lenin, Witte had been significant by reforming the economic policies of the Tsars by improving the Russian currency aswell as making the Russian market for accessible for foreign enterprises. This had long term significance as investments were more likely to come to Russia and thereby strengthen the Russian economy. All Tsars attempted some form of economic reforms, however in comparison to Lenin and stalin they did not succeed. From this it can be argued that individuals did play a role in the shaping of Russia, however it was very much dependant on the time an d situation in which they found themselves. One factor that was more important than the individual was the political structure in Russia. Alexander II,...
Words: 2316 - Pages: 10
...War in the years 1945-48 owed more to Soviet expansionism than to the USA’s economic interests? It is evident that, as Source 7 argues, the development if the Cold War in the years 1945-48 owed more to Soviet expansionism. However, it was not the main factor. The USA’s desire to boost their economy and influence in Eastern Europe, discussed in Source 8, and the need to secure the USSR’s boarders, the focus of Source 9, also l,aged s key role in the development of the Cold War. Perhaps one can argue that all three aims of both superpowers acted as catalysts and contributed to the development of the Cold War. In essence, Source 7 argues that the USSR had an “ambitious aim” of insuring Communist control in its sphere of influence. This is true in the sense that Stalin aimed to take advantage of the military situation in Europe and strengthen Soviet influence which resulted in occupying as much of Eastern Europe as possible. Following the Yalta and Potsdam conferences of 1945, Pro-Communist governments were set up in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. As well as this, the Soviet Union allowed Communist politicians to hold key positions in Coalition governments before elections were held meaning that elections could be manipulated to ensure communists controlled the levers of power. As a result of such measures, by the end of 1947 every state in Eastern Europe, except from Czechoslovakia, was controlled by a Communist government. Stalin had also failed to keep the promise...
Words: 1130 - Pages: 5
...Joseph Stalin: Man of Steel Only a few years after the end of World War I, a new leader came to power in Russia. This man quickly became a threat to any potential enemies of the Soviet Union by showing his competence militarily. His military leadership would prove itself more admirable in World War II. Also, being a leader in a leader in an underground revolutionary group and a member of the Bolsheviks could only add to his intimidating persona. The name most commonly matched to said persona is that of an important, tyrannical former leader of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin’s political reign is that of violence and war, but his story still influences politics today and influenced the decisions of other world leaders along the way. Joseph Stalin lived a fairly normal early life. He was born on December 21, 1879. His birthplace was Gori, a small town in the Russian province Georgia. Only later did he adopt the surname ‘Stalin’. His actual birth name was Joseph Vissarianovich Dzhugashvili (Schlesinger 14). So how does a boy from a small town grow up to kill millions in a military dictatorship? Stalin is the perfect example of someone being influenced by the media. One particular book made a huge influence on his future and his feelings towards Russia. When Stalin was young, he read a book about a character by the name of Koba, a Georgian equivalent to Robin Hood. This Robin Hood-like character despised Russians and how they treated the people of Georgia (Schlesinger 16). The...
Words: 2127 - Pages: 9
