A* REVISION NOTES
1C: Reform, Stability and Stagnation, 1953-85
1. The Power Vacuum After Stalin's Death (1953)
When Stalin died in 1953, he left a massive political problem. His power was entirely
PERSONAL — built on his reputation and terror, not on any official position. He left no
testament naming a successor, creating a dangerous power vacuum.
Three main contenders emerged:
Contender Position Powerbase Key Strength
Georgy Malenkov Premier of the The Soviet State Rumoured to be Stalin's
Soviet Union chosen successor.
Lavrentiy Beria Head of the MVD The MVD and Controlled Stalin's terror
(secret police) security apparatus machine — feared by
everyone.
Nikita Secretary of the The Communist Popular among Party
Khrushchev Central Committee Party officials — known as the
'apparatchik's
apparatchik'.
EXAM TIP Compare to Lenin's death in 1924 — same problem, no clear successor, same
result: the most politically cunning man won, not the most obvious candidate.
Stalin in 1924, Khrushchev in 1953.
2. Beria's Reforms — The Surprising First Reformer
The first person to introduce serious reforms after Stalin's death was Beria — the feared head of
the secret police. He did this to reassure his rivals that he would not use the MVD against them,
as Stalin had.
Gulag Reforms:
• March 1953 — amnesty for non-political prisoners on short sentences
• April 1953 — amnesty extended to some political prisoners
• A Party commission rehabilitated 4,620 communists executed on forced confessions
• MVD lost its economic power — Gulag labour no longer used to build factories
• Gulag population dropped from 2.4 million (1953) to 1.6 million (1956)
, Republic Reforms:
• Required all senior Party officials to speak the language of their republic
• All official publications had to be available in local languages as well as Russian
Beria's Fall:
Despite his reforms, Khrushchev and Malenkov still feared Beria would use the MVD against
them. They plotted against him — at a Presidium meeting, Khrushchev accused him of passing
Soviet secrets to Britain. Beria was arrested, tried and executed.
EXAM TIP Beria's execution was politically SIGNIFICANT — it established a new unwritten
rule: rivals would be REMOVED but not destroyed through mass terror. No show
trials, no purging of associates. A fundamental break from Stalinism.
3. Khrushchev vs Malenkov — The Duumvirate (1953-55)
After Beria's execution, Khrushchev and Malenkov ruled together but competed quietly.
Khrushchev had two goals: boost his own power and weaken Malenkov and the state.
Khrushchev's What He Did Effect
Move
Personnel Changes Used his position as Secretary to Secured his powerbase within the
replace ~50% of regional Party Party — similar to Stalin's Lenin
secretaries and 44% of the Enrolment strategy.
Central Committee with his own
loyalists.
Anti-Bureaucracy Cut central Soviet ministers from Direct attack on Malenkov's
Campaign 55 to 25. Reduced central powerbase in the state. Malenkov
government's control of industry lost the Premiership in February
from 68% to 44%. 1955.
EXAM TIP Khrushchev's rise was strikingly similar to Stalin's: both outplayed rivals step by
step, both flooded the Party with their own loyalists, both appeared less
threatening than they actually were. Power hunger continued — only the
methods changed.
4. De-Stalinisation — Ending the Cult of Stalin
Both Khrushchev and Malenkov wanted to 'humanise Communism' — end terror and improve
Soviet citizens' lives. The process began immediately after Stalin's death with small symbolic
steps:
1C: Reform, Stability and Stagnation, 1953-85
1. The Power Vacuum After Stalin's Death (1953)
When Stalin died in 1953, he left a massive political problem. His power was entirely
PERSONAL — built on his reputation and terror, not on any official position. He left no
testament naming a successor, creating a dangerous power vacuum.
Three main contenders emerged:
Contender Position Powerbase Key Strength
Georgy Malenkov Premier of the The Soviet State Rumoured to be Stalin's
Soviet Union chosen successor.
Lavrentiy Beria Head of the MVD The MVD and Controlled Stalin's terror
(secret police) security apparatus machine — feared by
everyone.
Nikita Secretary of the The Communist Popular among Party
Khrushchev Central Committee Party officials — known as the
'apparatchik's
apparatchik'.
EXAM TIP Compare to Lenin's death in 1924 — same problem, no clear successor, same
result: the most politically cunning man won, not the most obvious candidate.
Stalin in 1924, Khrushchev in 1953.
2. Beria's Reforms — The Surprising First Reformer
The first person to introduce serious reforms after Stalin's death was Beria — the feared head of
the secret police. He did this to reassure his rivals that he would not use the MVD against them,
as Stalin had.
Gulag Reforms:
• March 1953 — amnesty for non-political prisoners on short sentences
• April 1953 — amnesty extended to some political prisoners
• A Party commission rehabilitated 4,620 communists executed on forced confessions
• MVD lost its economic power — Gulag labour no longer used to build factories
• Gulag population dropped from 2.4 million (1953) to 1.6 million (1956)
, Republic Reforms:
• Required all senior Party officials to speak the language of their republic
• All official publications had to be available in local languages as well as Russian
Beria's Fall:
Despite his reforms, Khrushchev and Malenkov still feared Beria would use the MVD against
them. They plotted against him — at a Presidium meeting, Khrushchev accused him of passing
Soviet secrets to Britain. Beria was arrested, tried and executed.
EXAM TIP Beria's execution was politically SIGNIFICANT — it established a new unwritten
rule: rivals would be REMOVED but not destroyed through mass terror. No show
trials, no purging of associates. A fundamental break from Stalinism.
3. Khrushchev vs Malenkov — The Duumvirate (1953-55)
After Beria's execution, Khrushchev and Malenkov ruled together but competed quietly.
Khrushchev had two goals: boost his own power and weaken Malenkov and the state.
Khrushchev's What He Did Effect
Move
Personnel Changes Used his position as Secretary to Secured his powerbase within the
replace ~50% of regional Party Party — similar to Stalin's Lenin
secretaries and 44% of the Enrolment strategy.
Central Committee with his own
loyalists.
Anti-Bureaucracy Cut central Soviet ministers from Direct attack on Malenkov's
Campaign 55 to 25. Reduced central powerbase in the state. Malenkov
government's control of industry lost the Premiership in February
from 68% to 44%. 1955.
EXAM TIP Khrushchev's rise was strikingly similar to Stalin's: both outplayed rivals step by
step, both flooded the Party with their own loyalists, both appeared less
threatening than they actually were. Power hunger continued — only the
methods changed.
4. De-Stalinisation — Ending the Cult of Stalin
Both Khrushchev and Malenkov wanted to 'humanise Communism' — end terror and improve
Soviet citizens' lives. The process began immediately after Stalin's death with small symbolic
steps:
