What event did Trotsky and other Oppositionists blame Stalin for?
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The foreign policy disasters, especially in China.
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What event did Trotsky and other Oppositionists blame Stalin for?
The foreign policy disasters, especially in China.
What did Soviet and Comintern leaders interpret as evidence of an anti-Soviet conspiracy?
The foreign policy setbacks, particularly in China.
What was the First Five-Year Plan primarily focused on?
Industrialization and forced collectivization of agriculture.
What ideas became widely disseminated in the Soviet Union during Stalin's leadership?
Beliefs in anti-Soviet plots and immediate military threats.
What actions did the GPU take during the period of increased domestic tension?
They began rounding up suspected enemies of the regime.
What jeopardized plans for large-scale grain export during Stalin's Revolution?
Higher grain prices would reduce funds available for industrial expansion.
How is the industrialization drive of the First Five-Year Plan described?
As a 'revolution from above'.
What was the public reaction among peasants in anticipation of war?
They began to withhold grain from the market.
What economic problems were explained by invoking internal and external conspiracies?
Food shortages and breakdowns in industry, transport, and power.
Who were the 'kulaks' in the context of Stalin's policies?
A small proportion of peasant farmers seen as enemies of the regime.
What was the response of the Russian working class and rank-and-file Communists to the First Five-Year Plan?
There was skepticism regarding the high targets set by the plan.
What type of imagery was commonly used during the First Five-Year Plan?
War imagery.
What significant action did Stalin take in response to the GPU reports in 1927?
He presented the Politburo with proposals to treat opposition views as dangerous and to remove anyone who aroused suspicion.
What was a significant factor in the party leadership's division over policy towards the peasantry in 1927-28?
Grain procurement issues.
What was a major topic at the Fifteenth Party Congress in December 1927?
The First Five-Year Plan and the excommunication of the Left Opposition.
How did Stalin respond to Trotsky's statement about opposing the leadership?
He pilloried Trotsky, suggesting it was close to treason.
What significant campaign took place in 1928-9 against 'kulak' enemies?
A campaign aimed at eliminating perceived threats in the agricultural sector.
What was the symbolic message of the First Five-Year Plan?
That backward Russia would soon become 'Soviet America' and that a great breakthrough in economic development was underway.
What was the Law of Suspects, and how does it relate to Stalin's proposals?
Stalin's proposals were compared to the Law of Suspects from the French Revolution, targeting those with opposition views as dangerous accomplices.
What were Soviet forces mobilized to fight against?
The bourgeois and kulak class enemy.
What was the regime's economic philosophy during NEP regarding grain prices?
Paying low prices for agricultural produce while charging high prices for manufactured goods.
What was Stalin's conclusion about the kulaks' behavior regarding grain?
They were hoarding grain and attempting to hold the Soviet state to ransom.
What characterized the leadership struggles during Stalin's Revolution?
Clear-cut issues of principle and policy.
What significant action was taken against political opponents in 1927?
The leadership sanctioned arrest and administrative exile.
What was a major challenge for Stalin's industrialization drive?
A lack of qualified experts, especially engineers.
What percentage of the total sown area was accounted for by collective farms in 1928?
1.2 percent.
What was the psychological state of the Soviet Union during the First Five-Year Plan?
A state of war emergency.
What was the outcome of the proposals presented by Stalin to the Politburo?
The proposals were accepted but not made public, leading to the removal of suspected individuals.
What crisis in 1923-24 led to concessions being made to the peasantry?
The 'scissors crisis' due to discrepancies between agricultural and industrial prices.
What short-term solution did Stalin propose for dealing with peasant 'hoarders'?
Prosecute them under Article 107 of the Criminal Code.
What was the Right's platform focused on?
Less danger of social and political upheaval and maintaining NEP habits.
What was the purpose of constructing massive new complexes like Magnitogorsk?
To support industrialization and meet the needs of collectivized agriculture.
What was the outcome for Trotsky and other Opposition leaders in 1927?
They were expelled from the party.
What were the modest results of Stalin's collectivization efforts in 1928 and 1929?
Procurements remained an acute problem due to food shortages and the commitment to grain export.
What was the nature of the charges against experts during the anti-expert campaign?
Charges of conspiracy and sabotage, which were often seen as implausible.
What was Stalin's view on the rapid development of heavy industry?
He saw it as a prerequisite for national strength and military might.
What was the main assumption about collectivized agriculture during NEP?
That converting peasants to collectivization would be a long and arduous process.
What was reintroduced in towns as part of the wartime crisis atmosphere?
Rationing.
What major confrontation occurred in early 1928 that exacerbated the crisis atmosphere?
A confrontation with the peasantry.
How did the impending industrialization drive in 1927 change the state's approach to grain procurement?
It increased the political risk of squeezing the peasants harder.
What long-term solution did Stalin suggest for ensuring a reliable source of grain?
Press forward with agricultural collectivization.
Why was the Right's platform less appealing to the party in the late 1920s?
It promised much less achievement compared to Stalin's proposals.
Why were tractor plants prioritized during Stalin's industrialization efforts?
Due to immediate requirements of collectivized agriculture and potential future conversion to tank production.
Who was the head of the Comintern during the period of alarmist rumors?
Bukharin.
How did Stalin respond to the confessions of accused experts?
He seemed to accept them at face value and took the threat of military intervention seriously.
What was the regime's approach to procurement in 1929?
The regime imposed procurement quotas with penalties for non-delivery.
What did Stalin emphasize as necessary for the survival of the socialist fatherland?
Ending backwardness and developing a genuine Bolshevik tempo in building the socialist economy.
Why did Stalin believe collectivization was necessary?
To ensure reliable grain deliveries and low grain prices for successful industrialization.
What event in 1927 contributed to the war scare in the Soviet Union?
The belief in imminent military intervention by capitalist powers.
What were the Shakhty trials, and what did they signify?
They were show trials of engineers accused of sabotage, linking internal threats to foreign capitalist powers, and portraying the bourgeois intelligentsia as class enemies.
What was the impact of war scares on Soviet society during the late 1920s?
They became embedded in the Soviet mentalité and occupied the attention of the Politburo.
What was the 'Urals-Siberian method'?
A coercive approach to deal with the peasantry regarding grain hoarding.
What did the party believe about society during Stalin's Revolution?
That society could and should be transformed.
What was the general view of most Western historians regarding the threat of intervention?
They concluded there was no actual, immediate danger of intervention.
What did Stalin conclude about the planned military intervention by émigré capitalists?
It was intended for 1930 but postponed to 1931 or 1932, which he deemed important.
What was the state of the textile industry during Stalin's First Five-Year Plan?
It languished despite heavy investment and a large workforce.
What was the Right's response to Stalin's First Five-Year Plan?
They suggested that the targets for industrial output should be kept 'realistic', meaning relatively low.
What historical context did Stalin reference to justify rapid industrialization?
The continual beatings Russia suffered due to its backwardness.
How did the regime's actions affect the relationship with the peasantry?
Hostility mounted between the regime and the peasantry, reinforcing village unity against outside pressure.
What crisis highlighted the need for collectivization in 1927-28?
The procurements crisis.
What message did the show trials convey to the bourgeois intelligentsia?
That they remained untrustworthy class enemies despite claims of loyalty to Soviet power.
What did Stalin prioritize over meeting the kulaks' demands?
Industrial investment.
What was the primary concern of speakers at the Sixteenth Party Conference in 1929?
Practical questions regarding industrial needs rather than ideological struggles.
How were political opposition and resistance treated during the First Five-Year Plan?
They were denounced as treachery and punished severely.
What was the Right's challenge in campaigning within the Communist Party?
Their rational platform lacked compelling slogans for rallying party support.
What was the role of the Commissariat of Heavy Industry during Stalin's Revolution?
It made ad hoc decisions regarding top-priority enterprises and construction projects.
What was the significance of the group led by Riabushinskii, Gukasov, Denisov, and Nobel'?
They represented a powerful socio-economic group with major prerevolutionary Russian interests.
What did Stalin believe was more important for the Red Army than textiles?
Metal.
Who were the two major Rightists in the Politburo?
Rykov and Bukharin.
What was the goal of the First Five-Year Plan adopted in 1929?
To prioritize industrialization in the Soviet regime.
What did Yurii Pyatakov suggest about individual farming?
He stated there is no solution to agriculture within individual farming and advocated for extreme rates of collectivization.
Who did Stalin identify as the villain in the procurements crisis?
The kulak hoarder.
How did the new policy affect perceptions of party cadres?
It suggested that party cadres were guilty of stupidity for being misled by bourgeois experts.
What intense rivalry emerged during the distribution of investment monies?
The rivalry between the party organizations of Ukraine and the Urals.
What did Stalin's war imagery symbolize?
A return to the spirit of the Civil War and a repudiation of NEP compromises.
How did local party officials view the Right's call for greater democracy?
They believed it undermined their authority.
What did inclusion in the official list of top-priority enterprises require from suppliers?
Suppliers had to ignore all previous contracts and obligations until the top-priority orders were filled.
What was the relationship between metal production and national security according to Stalin?
Metal production was linked to national security and defense considerations.
What did the Right oppose regarding the policy towards the intelligentsia?
They opposed the aggressive class war exemplified by the Shakhty trial.
What did Stalin plan to do with the evidence of the planned military intervention?
To publicize it at home and abroad to paralyze attempts at intervention.
What were the two main power bases of the Politburo Rightists?
The Moscow Party organization and the Central Council of Trade Unions.
Who led the Commissariat of Heavy Industry during the First Five-Year Plan?
Sergo Ordzhonikidze.
What was the state’s goal regarding grain prices during the First Five-Year Plan?
To guarantee adequate deliveries at the state’s time and price.
What was the fate of the kulaks according to Stalin's December announcement?
Stalin announced that the kulaks must be 'liquidated as a class'.
What feelings did the new policy tap into regarding experts from the old privileged classes?
Feelings of suspicion and hostility.
What was a significant criticism of the Right by provincial officials?
They viewed the Rightists as elitists trying to blame local secretaries for failures.
What was Stalin's policy regarding the kulaks in the grain market?
To break their dominance through confrontation rather than conciliation.
What was the outcome of the competition for the tractor plant location?
The tractor plant was ultimately built in Kharkov, despite multiple bids from other cities.
How did the priorities of industrial projects change during the First Five-Year Plan?
They changed constantly in response to crises, impending disasters, or new targets.
What did Bukharin feel after Stalin's shift in policy?
He felt a sense of personal betrayal.
What was a significant issue faced by metallurgical plants during the First Five-Year Plan?
Fuel and power shortages and transport breakdowns.
Who headed the Moscow Party organization?
Uglanov.
What did the First Five-Year Plan not anticipate regarding agriculture?
Any large-scale transition to collectivized agriculture during its term.
What industries did the First Five-Year Plan focus on?
Iron and steel production.
What characterized the winter of 1929-30 in the context of collectivization?
It was a time of frenzy marked by an apocalyptic mood and revolutionary rhetoric from the party.
What was 'gigantomania' in the context of the Soviet Union's industrialization?
The obsession with building the largest and newest plants to surpass the West.
What term describes the radical measures against the kulaks that Stalin denied?
Dekulakization.
What characterized the successful Soviet manager during the First Five-Year Plan?
They were like entrepreneurs, ready to cut corners and seize opportunities to outdo competitors.
What did Bukharin privately call Stalin?
'Genghis Khan'.
What was the state’s approach to the urban economy during the First Five-Year Plan?
The state took almost total control of the urban economy, distribution, and trade.
Who was the head of the Central Council of Trade Unions?
Mikhail Tomsky.
What was Stalin's warning regarding the pace of industrialization?
Slacking the tempo would mean falling behind and potentially being beaten.
What did the party leaders believe about the peasant movement towards collectivization?
They believed it was an irresistible movement and that confrontation with the peasantry had gone too far to draw back.
What was a significant factor behind the soaring targets of the First Five-Year Plan?
Strong regional competition often led to the authorization of multiple plants instead of one.
What was the outcome of Stalin's policy implemented in spring 1928?
A temporary improvement in grain procurements and increased tension in the countryside.
What was the real purpose of the First Five-Year Plan despite the emphasis on immediate output?
To build giant new construction projects as investments for the future.
What was the consequence of Bukharin's secret discussions with Left Opposition leaders?
It was a politically disastrous step that did not increase his credibility.
What happened to private manufacturing and trading during the latter years of NEP?
It was curtailed, leading to the downfall of Nepmen and small businesses.
What happened to the Moscow Party organization in 1928?
It fell to the Stalinists and underwent a thorough purge.
How did Stalin characterize Russia's position compared to advanced countries?
He stated that Russia was fifty or a hundred years behind and needed to catch up in ten years.
What was the goal of the Soviet Union regarding modern technology during the First Five-Year Plan?
To catch up with and surpass the West in economic development.
What conflicting instructions did local party organizations receive in January 1928?
Contradictory instructions from the Politburo and Central Committee regarding grain procurement strategies.
Which major construction projects were initiated during the First Five-Year Plan?
Nizhny Novgorod Auto, Stalingrad and Kharkov Tractor, Kuznetsk and Magnitogorsk Metallurgical, Dnieper Steel.
How did the Rightists conduct their arguments with Stalin?
They conducted them behind closed doors.
What was the role of the State Planning Commission during the First Five-Year Plan?
To organize supply and distribution, a formidable task for the state.
Who directed the purge of the Moscow Party organization?
Vyacheslav Molotov.
What was the approach taken for the new auto and tractor factories?
They were built for assembly-line production, despite expert advice against it.
What was the essence of the Right Opposition's position in early 1928?
To maintain the political framework and basic social policies of NEP, opposing coercion of the peasantry.
What impact did the First Five-Year Plan have on the economic map of the Soviet Union?
It effectively redrew the economic map through decisions on the location of new industrial giants.
What was the vague threat that the Rightists had to publicly attack?
The 'rightist danger', which referred to faintheartedness and indecisive leadership.
What was the fate of Tomsky in early 1929?
He lost the leadership of the trade unions.
What did the Right Opposition argue against in Stalin's policies?
The undue emphasis on the kulak danger and policies that stimulated class war in the countryside.
How did Stalin's industrialization plans influence internal party politics?
They were used to ensure regional party leaders understood the benefits of industrialization for their regions.
What did Stalin's actions suggest about his respect for Bukharin?
That he had little genuine political or personal respect for him.
Who replaced Rykov as head of the Soviet government?
Molotov.
How did Stalin's approach differ from his earlier practice within the Politburo?
He forced his policy through in an arbitrary and provocative manner, rather than building a consensus.
What new dimension of politics emerged during the final years of the 1920s?
Regional competition for development allocations.
What was a common label used by Stalinists to discredit the ideological Right?
Rightism.
What significant economic policy was introduced in 1929 by the Bolsheviks?
The First Five-Year Plan.
What characterized the officials demoted for rightism?
They were not necessarily ideological Rightists; many were deemed incompetent or corrupt.
What was the relationship between the First Five-Year Plan and the actual functioning of the economy?
It had a tenuous relationship, being a hybrid of genuine planning and political exhortation.
How did the Rightists ultimately lose power?
They were defeated by the party machine controlled by Stalin.
What major agricultural change occurred alongside the First Five-Year Plan?
The simultaneous collectivization of a substantial part of peasant agriculture.
What was a paradox during the implementation of the First Five-Year Plan?
State planning agencies were purged of Rightists and others, hindering their ability to function.
How did the First Five-Year Plan address production targets?
It set production targets but often raised them after the Plan was in operation.
What was one of the key failures of the basic version of the First Five-Year Plan?
It failed to anticipate mass collectivization of agriculture and underestimated labor needs.
What was the ultimate decision regarding the completion of the First Five-Year Plan?
It was decided to conclude the Plan in its fourth year.
What was the approach to resource allocation in the First Five-Year Plan?
It was not meant to allocate resources or balance demands but to drive the economy forward.
