Khrushchev & reforms

Question 1

why did the politburo get rid of beria?

Answer 1

• head of SP = threat, even though issued an amnesty in 1953 releasing 1 mil prisoners from camps & released kremlin doctors after plot denounced as false
• malenkov & K still feared him so was arrested, accused of being a british spy & executed
• illegal but presidium felt it necessary to restore ‘socialist legality’

Question 2

how did he manage to take power?

Answer 2

• sept 1953 = first secretary of the party (general secretary)
• placed allies in the presidium
• nearly 1/2 of those elected to CC in 1952 were removed & most new members were K supporters
• outmaneouvered main opps by 1956

Question 3

when was the secret speech & what did he say?

Answer 3

twentieth party congress of 1956
- criticised stalin = accused him of developing a cult of personality, acting like a tyrant, using unnecessary terror & making economic mistakes
- wanted to rejuvenate the system with a return to leninism - de-stalinisation

Question 4

why was the secret speech so shocking to the audience?

Answer 4

• if stalin was alive, khrushchev would be dead
• the first time someone had properly criticised him since he came into power

Question 5

key features of de-stalinisation

Answer 5

• regular presidium & cc meetings = group work rather than individual
• moves to decentralise decision-making - more power to regional organisations
• party & gov officials no longer faced prison for failing targets
• secret police firmly under party control & lost control over camps - massive reduction of number of camps
• 2 mil political prisoners released from 1953-60

Question 6

what sparked the crisis of 1957?

Answer 6

• his moves to decentralise decision making (power transferred to regional councils)
• threatened to reduce party leaders’ power

Question 7

who was the crisis of 1957 led by & what did they want?

Answer 7

• malenkov & molotov - ‘anti-party group’
• persuaded the presidium to ask for his resignation

Question 8

how did he defeat the anti-party revolt?

Answer 8

• demanded the issue go to the CC - thought that as they appointed him only they could dismiss him
• packed with his allies, they rejected the move & he secured his position

Question 9

what happened to molotov & malenkov - what difference does this show?

Answer 9

• molotov became ambassador for mongolia & malenkov put in charge of electricity
• under stalin they would’ve been killed or arrested but they were only demoted

Question 10

reform - clue = spli-

Answer 10

split the party into industrial & agri sectors
- reduced power of party officials
- confusing = things could be placed in both departments, creating a grey area - made the officials’ jobs more difficult which annoyed them

Question 11

reform - clue = pu-

Answer 11

purge of local party secretaries who were always very loyal to stalin as they were unlikely to support de-stalinisation

Question 12

reform - clue = te-

Answer 12

three year limit on tenure
- to avoid political stagnation
- made the party more responsive to new ideas
- officials unhappy about changing jobs frequently - threat to their power & privileges
- unpopular reform