State Socialism After Stalin
Stalin’s last years: 1945-53 A new mobilization of the country:
To rebuild the economy To build up military power against the West Privations and hardships for the population
A new wave of mass repressions affecting all groups of Soviet population, including top leadership
Stalin’s cult reaches its apex
Stalin’s last years: 1945-53 1946: start of the Cold War 1947-49: The Communist takeover – and Stalinization -
of Eastern Europe 1949: The Communist victory in China 1950-53: The Korean War Growing fears of a coming World War III
Stalin’s last supper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T75ECk5HqVo&feature=relmfu
Stalin is buried: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Wojz2-6vM2o
Stalin’s regime could not be maintained after his death--Extreme degree of state domination over society, permanent emergency rule, mass terror cannot be maintained for long --Communist elites needed more normal, more stable regimes in which they would be secure from dangers from:
the dictatorsthe people
--War with the West was not inevitable; coexistence between the two systems was possible; the Korean War could be stopped by negotiation
Changes were inevitable: they were in the interests both of the rulers and of the ruled
BUT: Stalinist features remained at the foundation of communist power--Communist bureaucracy reigned as the New Class (nomenklatura); no interest in sharing power--One-party systems--Control of information--Mechanisms of repression (security services, the military) remained in place
From the death of Stalin to the collapse of communism:
In each communist country: attempts to develop viable political-economic systems which would:
--secure the dominance of communist elites,
and
--make state socialism attractive – or at least acceptable - to the masses
Return to the past was impossible
Options for the future:
--National Stalinism (Albania, Romania, China)
--Reform socialism
--Capitalism
National Stalinism would simply prolong the agony. Reform socialism required a strong commitment to
democracy from the ruling elites. They needed to take big risks with democratization But the fear of losing power prevented most of them from
taking such risks And when some of them would venture risky democratic
strategies, Soviet hardliners would intervene (Hungary, 1956, Moscow, 1964, Czechoslovakia, 1968, Poland, 1981, Moscow, 1991)
Ultimately (in 1989-91), the elites opted for national capitalism
The role of nationalism The nationalist-communist fusion in its various forms Sources of nationalist agendas in communist countries:
Nation-building processes were spurred on by state socialism National communist elites sought to reduce or overthrow
imperial control Part of the reform process, an element of democratization
The Timeline
The Thaw: 1953-1964
The Conservative Era: 1964-1985
Reforms and Collapse: 1985-1991
Leaders of de-Stalinization,1950s-60s: Iosip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia) Nikita Khrushchev (USSR) Wladyslaw Gomulka (Poland) Imre Nagy (Hungary) Alexander Dubcek (Czechoslovakia)
Yugoslavia: Josip Broz Tito
The USSR: Nikita Khrushchev
Poland: Wladyslaw Gomulka
Hungary:Imre Nagy
Czechoslovakia: Alexander Dubcek
THE THAW 1953: Stalin’s death, first moves towards liberalization in
USSR and Eastern Europe 1956:
The rise of Nikita Khrushchev The 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party:
Khrushchev’s secret speech denounces Stalin Upheaval in Poland The Hungarian revolution and its suppression
1957: Stalinists attempt to overthrow Khrushchev 1961: Khrushchev renews his anti-Stalinist campaign; new
Party programme promises the beginning of full communism within 20 years
1962: The Cuban missile crisis. The Novocherkassk massacre
1964: Khrushchev is deposed by conservatives
A new society: product of socialist transformations Increasingly urbanized Rapidly growing educational levels Class struggle is over Rising expectations of peace and a better, freer life Women, youth, intellectuals: new social demands Citizens losing fear of the state
Khrushchev in black and white: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQAqkhb82js
Changes in the Soviet system during The Thaw End of mass terror, release of millions from GULAG,
reform of security police Return of most deportees to their homelands Major improvements in the quality of life of the population Official renunciation of Stalinism Relaxation of Party control on information and culture Attempts at accommodation with the West
Cultural dissent: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfpblm_y-y-yyyyyyy-
yyyyy-cyyyyyy-yyyyyyyy-byzakelis_shortfilms http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x84l0f_yyyyyyyyy-
yyyyy-yyyyy-yyyyyyy_music?from=rss&hmz=706c61796572
Nuclear weapons stockpiles
Gen. Curtis B. LeMay, Chief of the Strategic Air Command, advocated all-out nuclear war to destroy Soviet Union and Red China
Spring 1961 JFK asks JCS: “If your plans for general [nuclear] war are
carried out as planned, how many people will be killed in the Soviet Union and China?”
Answer: 275 mln. instantly 325 mln. after 6 months Up to 600 mln. total for Europe and Asia*
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Daniel-Ellsberg/3222
China’s leader Mao Zedong urged Khrushchev to wage nuclear war against the West
A US Navy destroyer intercepting a Soviet freighter off Cuba
THE CONSERVATIVE ERA 1964: Khrushchev is deposed by the Party leadership Leonid Brezhnev
becomes the head of the Soviet Communist Party 1965:
Limited market reforms announced in USSR First public trials of dissidents
1966: Hungary introduces New Economic Mechanism 1968:
Protests and repression in Poland The Prague Spring and its suppression
1969: The Sino-Soviet military conflict 1970: In Poland, worker protests lead to the fall of Gomulka 1971-72: The start of détente between the USSR and the West 1979: Détente is over; the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 1980-81: The rise of Polish Solidarity; martial law is imposed 1982: Brezhnev’s death and the succession crisis 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary
Leonid Brezhnev, top Soviet leader, 1964-82
August 21, 1968: Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia, 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVIp5lUJhCs
Andrei Sakharov
Soviet-Western détente: Brezhnev with Nixon, 1972
Soviet-Western détente: Brezhnev with US President Carter, 1979