History 127CWeek 4 Lecture 704-24-12Midterm Information- Week from today – May 1- One question – essay question- Bring bluebook- The question will come from two themes:o How and why did the Bolsheviks come to power in 1917?o How and why did Stalin become #1 after Lenin’s death?o Might not be exactly worded like the questions/themes aboveHow Stalin Crushed the Right? Political Twists and Turns 1920s- Righto Bukharin – one of the two main leaders for the Righto Rykovo Tomsky- Stalin – one of the two main leaders for the Right- Lefto Trrotskyo Zinovievo Kamenev1927- The Right defeat the Left1928- Stalin switches to the Lefto Heavy, quick industrializationo Why did he do that?  NEP was not working? For tactical reasons? Because he wanted a new position to go after his next victim, Bukharin? 1929-1930s- Stalin crushed the right and replaced them on the Politburo with his own guys?o Molotovo Kaganovicho Kirovo Ordzhonikidze- Stalin was a very modest guyThe Stalin Revolution - The New Meno Current technical specialists (engineers, etc) were disloyal, didn’t like the communists, didn’t join the party, and they were a part of the old regime Accused them of launching sabotage on the industry, which he claims was why the NEP was not workingo Like an affirmative action programo Best, brightest and most loyal workers from the industrial class were selected out of production and sent them to school at state expense to train them in technical matters to become engineerso Was trying to create a new class of engineers that were loyal to the regimeo Glorified, hope for the futureo Fulfillment of 1917 because for a lot of people in the working class therevolution was about overthrowing the old bosses, the old management, the old regime and having the workers take over- Collectivization of agricultureo The regime, the party had decided to stop negotiating with the peasants o End of free market and free agricultureo Ideology – this is socialism and this is how socialism is supposed to work- Rapid industrialization o Necessity because they have to make up for skipping capitalism Need high technologyo Trotsky wants to quickly industrialize Squeezing out resources from the peasantry and using those resources for investment Reducing industrial priceso Bukharin wants to give the peasants more resources so that they can become well to do consumers & investors o Increase the purchasing powers of peasantso Slower method for industrialization - No more private sector in trade and industryo State will own and direct industrializationo Confiscation of property from small business menCollectivization- Rapido Bad information Kulaks? Peasant support?o Regional push-pullo Fear of going back- Forcedo Moscow policyo “Enthusiasts”- 4 million starvedo Famine of 1932 was the worst in Russian history and one of the worst in European historyo 4 million +/- 2 million; inexactitude of the numbers o This was not purposeful contrary to popular belief; Stalin was horrified when the starvation started Withdrew grain from the military o Causes Peasant resistance – their own sabotage of their own fields  Bad weather Moscow’s constant increasing demand for grain- 4 million deported- Collectivized peasant households 5-year plan- Speed (defense)o Targets were set very high- Planned- Heavy industry- Enthusiasm!o Rather than technique; will overcome technique- Fast growth, but mistakes and accidentso WHY?o No industrial economy has ever grown that fast in a short period of timeo Meanwhile, the rest of the world is undergoing a depression and unemployed Capitalism is dying The Russians claim they have found a better way to liveo Downside: trains flying off the tracks, the mines caving in“Bolsheviks can storm any fortresses”- Rapid growth in education, upward mobilityo A “new proletarian intelligentsia” 100% behind the regime You owed Stalin your career Improved lives Enthusiasm - Tremendous enthusiasm, voluntarismo “Building a new socialist tomorrow”o Considered your duty as a Soviet citizeno Enjoyed - Culmination of 1917 revolution- Success of the 5-Year Plano The West in the Great Depression = superiority of socialism, Stalinist policy Worshipped Pictures of Stalin replaced the iconic images around one’s houseo Impressiveo Showed the superiority in the Socialist model and Stalin’s leadershipSocial Types- Rearranging society- All the change helped to form new social groups- Bourgeois specialistso Highly educated o Politically suspects- Collective farmers- Peasants and workers- Red specialistso “The New Men”o Politically Favoredo Poorly trainedo You can’t make a competent engineer from someone who could barely read a year agoo Goal was to educate this group as quickly as possible o Equations, algebra, etc all hard stuff to learn that they were not previously familiar witho Regime presses so they graduated tens of thousands/thousands of incompetent engineers - Red Directorso Veteran Bolshevikso “Old Bolshevik”o Used as factory managerso Paranoia about sabotage so the Red Directors were used as watchdogso Politically loyalo Technically pooro Traditional watchdogSocial Conflicts- Bourgeois specialist vs. red specialisto Competing for best jobs, best promotions- Experts vs. redso People who believe that you have to follow the technological rules even if that means going slower v. people who believe that enthusiasmand class consciousness can compensate for anything Exact same conflict in Communist China- Red director vs. red specialisto Red specialist things that even with his illiteracy and educational level he knows more about the factory and ought to be in charge – probably right They think the Red directors are in their way of being in chargeo The Red directors find the red specialists annoying. He’s in charge of things and he has to answer to Moscow for success or failure. He figures out pretty quick that his factory will work better with the Old Bourgeois specialists because they know what to do.- Old vs. young o The enthusiasm of the Stalin revolution was overwhelming for the young Kids arguing with their parents, who they see as old. Parents were seen as people who don’t understand the new revolutiono The young were the key to Stalin’s victoryPolitical Grumbling 1930-34- From aboveo From higher ranks of the administration o