Aim: Was the Soviet State Built On Genocide?

I. Stalin (1925-1953)
A) From 1922-1924, Leon Trotskiy (Lenins chosen successor) and Josef Stalin (Secretary of the Politburo)
struggled for power. By 1925, after Lenins death, Trotskiy was forced to flee and Stalin assumed power.
B) Stalin established a secret police, the NKVD (later KGB), which replaced the Cheka, and was totally
loyal to Stalin.
C) Stalin used terror to force Collectivization on the population.
D) In order to collect enough grain to export to the West, and buy machinery for heavy industry, Stalin
took all the produce of Ukraine. This resulted in a famine which killed 30 million Ukrainians. This use of
genocide enables the USSR to buy the machinery it needed.
E) Stalin removed and executed most of the old Bolshevik leadership and replaced them with his own loyal
(often psychotic) followers (the Purges). He held show trials in which they were forced to confess to
crimes that they did not commit.
F) Stalin established concentration camps in Arctic Siberia (Gulag Archipelago). Political prisoners, writers,
artists, Russian Orthodox clergy, Jews, and non-Russian nationalists were tortured
G) Stalin brainwashed the youth and created a cult, for himself (Stalinism).
Collectivization: All land taken over and managed by the state. All farmers work on state land and
products are distributed by the government.
Genocide: Mass killing of a people.
Kulak: Bolshevik term for rich farmer (peasant) who exploits his neighbors.
Politboro: Ruling group in Communist Party
Stalin was a true Leninist. (Completed the policies of Lenin)
Guns vs. Butter: State controlled economy (command economy) vs. consumer controlled economy (supply
and demand)
Chart of Soviet System:
Lenin (1917-1924) <

Politburo >

Stalin (1925-1953)

Central Committee
Communist Party
People
II) Development of Soviet System (1921-1941)
A. Lenin was unable to create the communist order he wanted after the Red victory in the Civil War:
1. Resistance to Collectivization policy by peasants
2. Resistance to dominance of Bolsheviks
3. Resistance to Lenins personal dictatorship by other Bolsheviks leader
4. Inability to impose a communist system on rural populations
5. Rebellion in the Red Army (Revolt of the Kronstadt Sailors)
6. Resistance to ban religion by population

7. Resistance to Sovietization: by non- Russian population

8. Incompetence in government, industry, agriculture, and army due to removal of aristocracy,
bourgeoisie, and professional groups during the Revolution.
B. Lenin responded with both repression and pragmatism
1. Temporarily limited capitalism for population (NEP or New Economic Program)
2. Red Terror and later massacres of selected groups
3. Massive propaganda campaign (literature, film, radio
C. When Stalin took power later in 1925; he expanded on Lenins policies:
1. Continued brutal repression
2. End of NEP forced Collectivization through violence using the army (Ukrainian Genocide of 19321933)
3. Creation of Siberian prison death camps (Gulags)
4. Extension of Communist Partys dominance into culture and party life.
5. Creation of the Soviet identity (Russian speaking atheist communists who believed in Soviet
world domination).
6. Purges of old Bolsheviks leaders (1936-1938)
7. Expansion of armed forces at expense of economy: Guns vs. Butter or preference for heavy
industry (military production) over consumer products.
8. Creation of Lenin and Stalin cults tried to replace Orthodox Christianity.
9. Expansion of state control over education and the arts as well as mass media, and sports.
10. Expansion of Bolshevik Cheka (secret police) into Soviet KGB.
11. Complete dominance of peoples lives and people in USSR through propaganda and spying
(Totalitarianism)
12. Anti-Western propaganda and xenophobia (fear of outsiders) while encouraging Soviet
nationalism.

III. Model of Totalitarian State

A. State dominated arts, sciences, and education.
B. State dominated mass media, sports, and culture.
C. State controlled election of leaders (There was only one candidate in Soviet elections the
Communist).
D. State controlled economy (Command Economy)
E. State controlled over individuals lives through the institutions (Totalitarianism)

F. Loyalty to state over individual, family, religion or ideals (philosophy/ collective over individual). In a
totalitarian state the individual does not matter.
G. Communism No private ownership of property or land/ The government owned everything on
behalf of the people.
H. Economic stagnation eventually developed in the Soviet Union. The government- controlled
economy under-produced when it should have produced much more (After 1953, imported grain from
other countries, especially the United States).
I. Focus on state through individual leader (this was true of fascism) Lenin and Karl Marx were who
the people were taught to look up to.
J. Since there was no incentive to work hard as the individual could not own property or gain wealth,
production was always limited and quality was never high.