Stalin Before Stalin

Lessons and Strategies

• Prioritize thorough knowledge and improve writing speed.
• Allocate time efficiently: max 25 minutes for 10-mark questions, 45 minutes for 20-mark questions.
• Focus on key events and elaboration events for elaboration/evaluation.
• Compile past year questions separately.
• Consistency in review is crucial.

Index

1. Gaining Support and Alliances (1921-1924):

   • Gaining a spot in the politburo and rising through the ranks.
   • Competing legally with other members.

2. Rise to Power (1924-1928):

   • After Lenin's death, Stalin removed dissenters and placed allies in power.
   • Gained public support by invoking Lenin's legacy.

3. Consolidation of Power:

   • Economic and social policies (1928-1941).
   • Terror (1928-1953).
   • Foreign policy (1928-1941).

Stalin Before Stalin: Historical Context

• Pre-1917 Perception: Initially deemed unimportant, but later recognized for his organizational role in the Bolshevik Party.
• Role in October Revolution: Loyal to Lenin, opposed 'October deserters.'

Rise to Power

• Post-Lenin's Death: Used Lenin’s legacy for legitimacy.
• Economic Policies:
  • War Communism vs NEP: Debates over economic direction.
  • NEP’s eventual unpopularity and economic challenges.

Political Disputes

• Ban on Factionalism (1921): Made criticism difficult.
• Permanent Revolution vs Socialism in One Country: Stalin’s ideology focused on nationalism, contrasting Trotsky’s internationalism.

Stalin's Strategies for Power

1. Leveraging Positions for influence and support.
2. Outmaneuvering Rivals: Using Lenin’s policies against opponents.
3. Exploiting Political Disputes: Leveraging NEP and factionalism debates.
4. Removing Opponents: Through political maneuvering and show trials.

Consolidation Phase (1929-1941)

• Aims: Industrial strength, agricultural collectivization, increase living standards, centralize control.

Economic Policies

• Collectivization: Aimed to control agricultural production and eliminate kulaks.
• Five-Year Plans: Focus on heavy industry and self-sufficiency.

Social Policies

• Women and Family: Changes in marriage law, role of women, and family emphasis.
• Youth and Education: Komsomol as a tool for promoting Stalinist ideals.

Terror and Control

• Show Trials and Purges: Used to eliminate political rivals and instill fear.
• Impact on Society: Destabilized society but consolidated power through fear.

Stalin's Foreign Policy (1929-1941)

• Relations with Germany: Treaty of Rapallo and Treaty of Berlin set the stage for WWII interactions.
• Shift in Focus: From isolation to engaging with international politics, influenced by threats from Nazi Germany.

Conclusion

• Stalin's rise was a complex interplay of personal ambition, exploitation of Lenin’s legacy, and strategic elimination of rivals through political maneuvering and terror.
• His policies were aimed at solidifying his power domestically and preparing for external threats.