Reform, Stability and Stagnation, 1953 - 1985
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- Created on: 12-05-18 15:21
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- Reform, Stability and Stagnation, 1953 - 1985
- Khrushchev's reforms and de-Stalinisation
- Beria
- Opponents worried about MVD and Berias power, so he reformed
- freedom for many persecuted in terror, terminated gulag projects removing power.
- Leaders in republics must speak language and publications too
- freedom for many persecuted in terror, terminated gulag projects removing power.
- Party still mistrusted Beria and MVD power so trial and executed for treason
- Opponents worried about MVD and Berias power, so he reformed
- Leadership Struggle
- Malenkov, Beria and Khrushchev fought for power
- Vacuum of power so power was put into independent state and party
- Malenkov, Beria and Khrushchev fought for power
- Early Khrushchev
- Late Khrushchev
- The question of communist rule from the death of Stalin challenged Kruschev
- Khrushchev was criticised for reforming too fast and responded by backtracking, showing his weakness, and submitting to aspects of Stalin rule (People were not ready)
- Anti - Party group tried to overthrow, but he rejected this with his power within Central Committee which showed political terror would no longer be used and power of party leader depended on central committee
- Khrushchev's final reforms 1962 introduced economic reforms, de-stalinsation removing his body, split party in 2 between agricultural and industry
- The question of communist rule from the death of Stalin challenged Kruschev
- In an attempted to out power Malenkov Khrushchev added reforms that replaced Stalins supporters with his own, and devolved power from state
- Late Khrushchev
- Destalinisation
- wanted 'humane' communism improve lives of citizen by ending terror
- The secret speech exposed Stalins actions and criticised his dictatorship and rule, yet not his industrial or agricultural rule
- Rejected cult of personality, shift stalins hero figure
- Cancelled Stalin based events newspapers quoted Lenin & Marx
- Let prisoners out of gulag 200,00 in 2 years
- wanted 'humane' communism improve lives of citizen by ending terror
- Fall of Khrushchev
- His reforms created discontent in party, economic growth slowed, promises not achieved, dangerous foreign policy
- 1964 Khrushchev retired after pressure from senior figures and central committee (Ill health) (given pension lived under guard)
- Khrushchev achieved removing political terror, allowed to retire, ended system of personal rule, was forced to share power with backers. However some aspects of Stalinsim lived on, never rejecting Stalin's legacy
- His reforms created discontent in party, economic growth slowed, promises not achieved, dangerous foreign policy
- Beria
- Brezhnev and Stability, 1964 - 1982
- Brezhnev government was focused on stability and restoration
- Last years of Brezhnev were characterised by ever growing problems and corruption that were not addressed
- He believed revolutionary aspects occurred in early years. Therefore he followed the path set out by Lenin and Stalin, he became status quo instead of a force for change
- Kosygin lost power in 1970 leaving Brezhnev in power
- Established superiority of party over state
- Ensured party officials kept their jobs for long period to limit patronage
- Brezhnev reformed the party by reversing Kruschev's reforms
- Government based on 'stability of cadres' which discouraged promotions or demotions, this replaced Khrushchev unpopular policy of limited terms
- Ended split of industrial and agricultural wings
- Divided key posts in government between Kosygin and Brezhnevv
- Ensured 1 person did not have 2 top positions
- Backed by support of Politburo, Brezhnev and Kosygin were keen to undo Khrushchev policies
- Centralised all previously decentralised governments and establishing all union ministrys
- Political Stagnation, 1970 - 1985
- Brezhnev's government reforms led to a period of stagnation, with slow or no change
- only 2 people were promoted, 80-90% kept jobs in politburo
- Nicknamed Gerontocracy (old people rule) average age was 62 - 75 in 1982
- Officials increasingly ill
- Limited promotions - dead end jobs for others
- Created a generation gap (lack of understanding of youth)
- Corruption
- officials knew they wouldn't be disciplined and they would not get rich in dead end jobs
- officials became corrupt and sold goods on black market
- No Incentive to work hard
- Government eventually became less effective
- Andropov was appointed after Brezhnev death death in 1982
- Abandoned 'cadres', small scale economic reform, anti corruption campaign
- Chernenko placed as leader in 1984, yet was ill and old so could not implement change
- Abandoned 'cadres', small scale economic reform, anti corruption campaign
- Two attempts to keep stable government, the first with revolutionary ideas, e.g decentralisation. Build on Lenin's socialism. Second attempted to carry on success of past leaders, no transformation, safe policy.
- Khrushchev's reforms and de-Stalinisation
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