1. The Rise of Stalin and
Stalin’s policies
Do the ends always justify the means?

2. Lesson Agenda
 By the end of today’s lesson you will
learn:
◦ How Stalin made use of circumstances to
rise to power.
◦ Stalin’s policies and their impact
◦ Make comparisons

3. Rise of Stalin
Stalin’s strengths
-Outwitted his rivals
Weaknesses of his
Rivals
-Personal weaknesses
(Trotsky’s arrogance)
-Allowed themselves
To be manipulated
(Kamenev + Zinoviev)
Made alliances to
Get rid of
Opponents.
(Nobody is
indispensable)
Used his position as
Secretary-General to
Appoint his supporters
Into important posts.
They were now loyal to Stalin.

4. Reasons for the rise of
Stalin External circumstances (beyond Stalin’s control)
◦ Lenin’s Will
 Stalin acted as Lenin’s go-between during Lenin’s semi-
retirement – but Lenin was suspicious of Stalin’s character
and ambitions.
 Lenin urged the Party to have Stalin removed as Gen-Sec of
the Party – this was stated in his will.
 Lenin’s will was read after his death – but only to the Party
members. But did not carry out Lenin’s wishes on removing
Stalin. Party leaders believed that Trotsky was a greater
threat.
 Meanwhile, Kamenev and Zinoviev allowed their distrust of
Trotsky to make them open to manipulation by Stalin.
 Lenin’s will was not made known to the public. As there were

5. Reasons for the Rise of Stalin
 External circumstances (Beyond Stalin’s
control)
◦ Trotsky’s unpopularity
 Trotsky = head of the Red Army and led the Bolsheviks
to victory in the Russian Civil War. Considered as
Lenin’s right-hand man.
 Trotsky was outspoken – clashed with Lenin and CP on
many occasions. Criticized Lenin’s New Economic
Policy (NEP).
 Advocated “Permanent Revolution” – spread
revolutions all over the world. Stalin argued for
“Socialism in One Country” – which called for
strengthening Soviet Union internally first.

6. Reasons for the Rise of Stalin
 Stalin’s Manipulations
◦ Pretended to have been close to Lenin
 Stalin made himself look as if Lenin favored & trusted
him. He did this by:
 Organizing Lenin’s funeral to be a grand affair and;
 renaming Petrograd as “Leningrad”.
 Stalin also kept Trotsky from attending Lenin’s funeral by
giving him the wrong date.
 These actions damaged Trotsky’s reputation in the
Party.

7. Reasons for Rise of Stalin
 Stalin’s manipulations
◦ Power of party organization
 Stalin was appointed Secretary-General of the
Communist Party in 1922. It did not seem to be
an important post, but Stalin used it to replace
Trotsky’s allies with his own.
 Trotsky’s support base shrunk and in 1925
Trotsky was forced to resign as leader of the Red
Army. Expelled from the party in 1927.
 Assassinated in 1940 while in exile in Mexico.

8. Stalin as Leader
 Stalin became the undisputed leader
of the Soviet Union by 1928.
 He firmly believed in autarky (rule by
one man), territorial expansion and
war
 He focused on feeding the people
through a government controlled
economy.

9. Stalin’s Policies (Economic)
 Rapid industrialization.
◦ Soviet Union very backward. Stalin feared that Western powers
would attack the Soviet Union because it was economically
weak. USSR had to industrialize to protect itself.
◦ Stalin decided to centrally plan the economy. Government
determined what and how much to produce.
◦ Came up with 3 five-year plans (1928-1942) to coordinate
production:
 1st Plan – emphasized heavy industries like coal, iron and steel. Result was
tremendous increase in production. More than 1500 plants set up and 100
new cities built.
 2nd Plan – Also heavy industries and transport. Road, rail and canal networks
improved tremendously.
 3rd Plan - could not be completed as WW11 had begun and Nazi Germany
had attacked the Soviet Union. All resources channeled to defence and the
war industry.

10. Stalin’s Policies (Economic)
 Evaluation
Positive Impacts Negative Impacts
Output of coal, oil, Iron and
steel significantly rose.
People paid terrible price.
Workers lead difficult lives.
Full employment in USSR, even
though Western countries
experiencing high
unemployment
Wages low and food shortages
were common. Worked very
long hours under very bad
conditions
Infrastructure: roads and rail
and canal networks expanded
and improved upon.
By 1940 – USSR recognized as
a major industrial power.
Homes were sub-standard and
lacked basic amenities

11. Stalin’s Policies – (Economic)
 Agricultural Policy – Collectivization
◦ Stalin modernized the agricultural sector through setting up
collective farms.
◦ Peasants in an area would combine their individual plots of
land together to form a kolkhoz. Tools and animals used
collectively. Schools and amenities built on the farms
◦ Peasants sold a % of crops at low price to government – Govt
gave them tractors and machinery. Farms managed by
government officials.
◦ Collectivization important as it would lead to more efficient
food production and less shortages in the cities. Less labor-
intensive.

12. Stalin’s Policies - Economic
Positives Negatives
Stalin achieved the aim – obtained
food supplies from the countryside
cheaply and regularly
- Removed private ownership of
land and resources – USSR truly a
communist country.
Collectivization forced on
peasants. Rich and efficient
farmers (kulaks) were targeted.
Peasants who resisted were shot
or deported
Agriculture was now mechanized
and therefore more productive.
Horrendous human cost –
10million peasants were shot or
sent to labour camps. The number
of deaths due to famines was also
in the millions.

13. Stalin’s Policies - Political
 Great Terror (1934-1938)
 (a) Kirov’s assassination:
◦ By 1930, Stalin had removed most of his rivals competing to
succeed Lenin. He then focused on eliminating other potential
rivals.
◦ Growing opposition to Stalin’s 5-year plan. High human costs and
suffering. In 1934, Communist Party leadership stripped Stalin of
his title (Gen-Secretary). He was now to be Secretary together
with Kirov
◦ Party was divided on whether to continue with the second-five
year plan – Kirov in favour of relaxation of the Five-Year plan. A
group of communists also approached Kirov to replace Stalin.
◦ Kirov was assassinated in 1934 – Stalin used this assassination
as an excuse to go after the others Communist leaders who were

14. Stalin’s Policies - Political
 Great Terror :
 (b) Purges and Show trials
◦ Using Kirov’s death as an excuse – Stalin tasked the secret
police to eliminate “anti-Soviet” elements.
◦ Show trials for prominent Party officials. Zinoviev, Kamenev,
Bukharin and Rykov were accused of crimes against the
country and executed.
◦ Red Army was purged (some members forced to leave) in
1937. Roughly half of the army officers had been executed or
imprisoned.
◦ Ordinary citizens were encouraged to denounce one another.
By 1938, the entire population was living in a state of terror.
No trust within the society.

15. Stalin’s Policies - Political
 Elimination of Intellectuals, skilled workers and officers
◦ The execution of large numbers of intellectuals and skilled workers
had an adverse effect on the strength of the country.
◦ The loss of:
 …engineers and scientists - affected industrialization
 …administrators & teachers – affected management of government
 …RA officers affected leadership of armed forces & prep for WW11
 Living in fear
◦ Soviet citizens lived in constant fear. Anyone suspected as being an
enemy of the state faced dire consequences. Even children
encouraged to tell on their parents.
◦ Those who failed to meet targets – severely punished…they would
also find it difficult to apply for housing and jobs.

16. Stalin’s Policies - Political
 Propaganda – The cult of the leader
◦ Stalin used propaganda to justify his rule.
portrayed as a “father figure” – media
depicted him as a benevolent and wise
leader.
◦ All achievements in the Soviet Union were
accredited to his leadership. Stalin also
encouraged citizens to support his policies –
even to worship him.
◦ Views of Stalin’s opponents and their
contributions were removed from historical
accounts of the Soviet Union.

17. Stalin’s Policies - Social
• Negative Impacts :
• Artists could only draw art that glorified Stalin, Communism or
Russian workers/peasants. Any work critical of Stalin resulted
in the artist or writer spending the rest of his life in labour
camps.
• Government controlled education strictly. Any teacher who
disobeyed government orders would be sent to the labour
camps.
• History was distorted and the pupils taught that Lenin and
Stalin were the two great leaders of the Communist party.
Trotsky’s contribution was ignored.
• Cult of worship of Stalin. Demolished places of worship – no

18. Stalin’s Policies - Social
 Positive Impacts:
◦ Women were given equal opportunities as
the men in terms of jobs.
◦ They were also eligible for appointments to
senior positions in the Party.
◦ Women were also not discriminated against
in the workforce.

19. Stalin’s Policies -
Conclusion General Observations:
◦ Stalin had laid the model for a Communist country. There
would be a command economy and harsh dictatorial
government.
◦ Many Russians benefitted from his policies. These included
those workers whose lives improved under Stalin’s rule as
compared to when they were under the Tsarist regime.
◦ Eventually his policies transformed a backward USSR into a
modern industrial & military power on par with Western
Capitalist countries.
◦ However, Stalin’s oppressive regime also harmed his people.
They did not have basic freedoms or necessities and led a life
of fear. The command economy and oppression of the people
would destroy the economy and eventually the USSR itself in

20. Comparison Question
History

21. Study Sources A and B
Question: How different are these
sources as evidence of the results of
collectivization?

22. Source A:
Although some resisted at first and food production decreased initially, the peasants
eventually saw that the Party and the government, overcoming difficulties, were
building factories to make tractors and new farm machines. Numerous groups of
peasants visited the new factories, attended workers’ meetings, and were inspired by
their enthusiasm. Upon returning to their villages, working peasants took the initiative
in setting up new collective farms. Food production began to rise as more converted
to collective farms.
Official view on collectivization presented in Communist Party
History, Adapted from Russia under Stalin, by J.F Aylet
Source B - Communist party activist’s view on collectivization, published
in
1986. Adapted from the Harvest of Sorrow, by Robert
ConquestWith the rest of my generation, I firmly believed that the ends justified the means. Our
goal was the universal triumph of Communism…I saw what “total collectivization”
meant – how they mercilessly stripped the peasants in the winter of 1932-1933. I
took part in it myself, scouring the countryside, testing the earth with an iron rod for
loose spots which might lead to buried grain. With the others I emptied out the old
folks storage bins, stopping my ears to the children’s crying and the women’s wails. I
had to convince myself I was accomplishing the great and necessary transformation
of the countryside; that in the days to come the people who lived there would be
better off. In the terrible spring of 1933, I saw people dying of hunger. I saw women
and children with bloated bellies, turning blue, still breathing but with vacant, lifeless

23. “How Different” Question
 Identify 2 differences & 1 similarity
 First step: Identify ideas/concepts to compare:
◦ (Point of view, Content, Tone, Purpose)
 Second step: Look for clues in the sources that
shows differences or similarities in the sources
based on the ideas/concepts.
 Third step: Write out answer!

24. Difference 1
 Sources A and B are different in their views
about the outcome of collectivization.
Source A states that collectivization was a
success, as it states that: “…food
production began to rise”, In contrast
Source B states that collectivization failed
miserably because the author saw
“…people dying of hunger…”

25. Difference 2
 Source A and B differ in their purpose towards presenting the
history of collectivization to later generations of Russians.
Source A’s purpose is to show younger citizens how the
Communist Party successfully won over the peasants and
that collectivization was for the greater good of the Soviet
Union and that the whole country was united in ensuring the
success of collectivization. In contrast, Source B aims at
exposing the extreme measures undertaken by the CP to
impose collectivization. The author acknowledges the harm
he and his colleagues inflicted on ordinary Russians by
slavishly supporting the programmes of the CP by saying: “…I
firmly believed that the ends justified the means…” His
purpose is to convince later generations to be more forgiving
of his generation for their misguidance.

26. Similarity
 Sources A and B are however similar
as they both agree that collectivization
initially caused food shortages. Source
A states that: “…food production
decreased initially’ and the author of
Source B also says that he saw,
“…people dying of hunger…” thus
showing that a drop in food production
meant starvation for the people.

27. Essay Practice
 “Stalin’s policies benefitted the
USSR.” How far do you agree with this
statement? Explain your answer. [12]

28. Introduction
 Stalin’s policies did benefit the people of USSR. Through his
policies, the USSR was transformed from a backward country into a
modern, industrialized state. Although this was achieved at a high
human cost, had Stalin not utilized such harsh measures, this
transformation of the Soviet Union which benefitted the economy
and country as a whole would not have been possible.

29. Para 1 – Rapid
Industrialization
 Stalin’s policy of rapid industrialization benefitted the USSR. Stalin
was motivated by the conviction that the USSR being the first
communist state in the world, would be crushed by non-communist
countries if it did not strengthen itself through industrialization. He
came out with Five-Year Plans which set targets for industrial
development. Hundreds of new factories were built and the
industrial workforce expanded. Each worker was urged to work
harder and shock brigades (or workers who outperformed their
targets) were recognized and rewarded. A system of reward and
punishment was set up to motivate workers to give their best. This
ensured that Russia became a great industrial nation by the end of
the 1930s. Thus, Stalin’s industrialization benefitted the USSR, by
propelling it from a backward state into a modern nation so rapidly.

30. Para 2 - Collectivization
 However Stalin’s collectivization did not benefit the USSR.
Stalin implemented collectivization in order to merge small
individual firms into larger collective farms called kolkhozy.
Stalin hope that through collectivization, a secure food supply
would be available for the workers and support his
industrialization of the USSR. This meant that farms would no
longer be owned privately, and kulaks farms were confiscated
and the peasants given fixed working hours and wages. There
was a period of widespread famine as the kulaks resisted
collectivization and even killed their own animals and burned
their crops than give it to the state. These attempts at resistance
were met with violence, with those who resisted shot or sent to
gulags. Hence, Stalin’s policies did not benefit Russia and

31. Para 3 – The Great Terror
 Stalin’s policies also did not benefit the USSR as he
established a climate of fear through his purges and show
trials. He got rid of any possible political competition by
placing many Politburo members on show trials where they
were eventually purged. The secret police also monitored
and persecuted anyone who was suspected of criticizing
Stalin. Thus, Stalin’s Russia was characterized by fear and
terror, and the lack of political freedom. More importantly, his
purges of experienced and capable communist members,
engineers and scientists meant that the USSR suffered in the
long run with the lack of capable men to run the country. Thus
Stalin’s policies did not benefit Russia and instead cost many

32. Conclusion – Weigh and Link
 In conclusion, Stalin’s policies brought benefits to the USSR
in the long run. Through his Five-Year Plans, the Soviet Union
was transformed into a formidable world power. It benefitted
from Stalin’s economic policies as modern machinery was
introduced and new factories were built. It was Stalin’s harsh
political policies which enabled him to assume total control
over Russia, making it possible to push through policies
necessary to modernize Russia. Nevertheless, it must be
acknowledged that all these achievements were only made
possible at a high human cost and immense suffering of the
people.