The situation facing Stalin

• Following Lenin’s death in 1924, the Communist Party experienced a period of collective leadership

• Stalin used his position as Party secretary to assume power and by 1929 was confirmed as leader, following Trotsky’s exile

• Stalin appointed trusted individuals to positions of authority, thereby guaranteeing he had total control.

• Stalin also used the cult of Lenin and divisions within the Party to establish his power

• Many of the problems Stalin faced at the beginning of his rule were similar to other leaders of the period.

• Most notable were the effects of the First World War and Civil War

• He also had to cope with the ongoing survival of the regime

• He did however need to create a Communist society that would support a massive industrial drive.

• In many ways, Stalin had to instigate a second revolution

• A continuing peasant society with a slow growing, mostly private industry would lead to counter-revolution

• The USSR was not strong enough to withstand a foreign invasion, accordingly change was needed

• The USSR was isolated as other countries pursued anti-communist stances and so defence became a priority

• Developments in infrastructure were still needed on order to rival the West

Posters

• You need to produce an A3 poster FULL of information on either Industrialisation or Collectivisation

• Include what changes were introduced, the effects of these changes

• Collectivisation: p.117-120

• Industrialisation: p. 110-114

Was Stalin a Red Tsar?

The following criteria can be applied to rulers since 1855, but each leader

used power and influence in different ways

What is a Red Tsar?

• A continuing belief in autocracy• Key elements of Russian life are controlled

by state bureaucracy• The Tsar has control over opinion and can

censor publications and political life• Russia’s destiny and that of it’s rulers are

seen as linked• Major cultural patrons and promoted new

architecture and the arts