AQA_2024: A-level History - Component 2N Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)

AQA_2024: A-level History - Component 2N Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) A-level HISTORY Component 2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 Friday 7 June 2024 Materials For this paper you must have:  an AQA 16-page answer book. Instructions Afternoon  Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes  Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7042/2N.  Answer three questions. In Section A answer Question 01. In Section B answer two questions. Information  The marks for questions are shown in brackets.  The maximum mark for this paper is 80.  You will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. Advice  You are advised to spend about: – 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A – 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B. IB/M/Jun24/7042/2N 3 Key areas: 1. The Russian Revolution of 1917:  February Revolution (1917): The collapse of the Tsarist regime under Nicholas II, leading to the establishment of a Provisional Government.  October Revolution (1917): Led by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, this revolution overthrew the Provisional Government, establishing a Soviet state.  Bolshevik Consolidation of Power: Lenin and the Bolsheviks faced opposition from other factions (Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries) and civil unrest, but they consolidated power through measures like peace with Germany (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, 1918) and the suppression of opposition. 2. The Civil War and War Communism (1918–1921):  Russian Civil War (1918–1921): Fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and the anti Bolshevik White Army, with foreign intervention and widespread chaos. The Bolsheviks emerged victorious.  War Communism: A series of economic policies, including nationalization and forced grain requisitioning, that aimed to support the war effort but led to widespread famine and discontent. 3. The Rise of Stalin (1924–1929):  Lenin’s Death (1924): After Lenin’s death, a power struggle ensued, with Stalin eventually outmaneuvering rivals like Trotsky to consolidate power.  Stalin’s Policies: He implemented a series of economic policies, including forced collectivization of agriculture and industrialization, and began to centralize power under his control. 4. The Great Terror and Purges (1930s):  Great Purges (1936–1938): Stalin sought to eliminate any potential threats to his power, leading to mass arrests, show trials, and executions, including many high-ranking members of the Communist Party and military.  Political Repression: The NKVD (Secret Police) played a key role in silencing opposition, creating a climate of fear throughout Soviet society. 5. The Second World War and Its Aftermath (1939–1945):  Soviet Entry into WWII: Initially, Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939), but after the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the USSR entered the war.  Victory and Consequences: The Soviet Union played a pivotal role in the defeat of Nazi Germany, but at a huge cost—millions of Soviet lives lost, and vast areas of the USSR were devastated.  Post-War Soviet Expansion: The USSR emerged as a superpower, extending its influence over Eastern Europe, beginning the Cold War with the United States. 6. Stalin’s Legacy (1945–1953):  Economic and Social Changes: Stalin's policies of collectivization and industrialization transformed Soviet society, though at great human cost. The economy grew, but with widespread repression.  Death of Stalin (1953): Stalin's death marked the end of his dictatorship, leading to a power struggle and eventual de-Stalinization under Khrushchev. Turn over ► IB/M/Jun24/7042/2N 4 IB/M/Jun24/7042/2N IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E2 7042/2N Section A Answer Question 01. Source A From a statement issued by the Communist Party (CPSU) Congress, January 1924. The Congress had voted in favour of the policies of the triumvirate of Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev. The opposition headed by Trotsky has tried to accuse the party of a lack of democracy and excessive bureaucracy. Such direct attempts to discredit the party apparatus cannot lead to anything other than the separation of government institutions from the party. The opposition has revealed a completely un-Bolshevik approach to the question of party discipline. This is reminiscent of when Lenin had to struggle against the destructive views of intellectuals in questions of organisation and defend the foundations of proletarian discipline in the party. The opposition has violated the decision made by the Tenth Congress in March 1921 which prohibited the formation of factions within the party. They seek to make the Central Committee an intermediary between factions. This view of the party has nothing in common with Leninism. The opposition is a threat to the unity of the state apparatus. These factional moves by the opposition have strengthened the hopes of all enemies of the party. 5 10 Source B From a speech given whilst under arrest, to the CPSU Congress, by the economist, Preobrazhensky, 1934. Preobrazhensky was exiled in 1927, returned after denouncing Trotskyism, but was arrested. In the years 1923 to 1927, I was considered the chief economist of the Trotskyist Opposition. My works, including ‘New Economics’, which discussed ways of accumulating capital for industrialisation, were used as weapons in the struggle between Stalin and the Left Opposition led by Trotsky. My important error consisted in mechanically comparing our economy with western capitalism and showing a lack of faith in, and contempt for, the Russian peasantry. My views were shared by the Trotskyists, who were committed to ‘permanent revolution’, supporting the Comintern in fomenting world-wide revolution. Like me, the Trotskyists assumed that socialist change would be a rather long evolutionary process. I had parted company with true Leninism but events wholly disproved what I had asserted. Lenin’s views triumphantly became reality under Stalin’s leadership. Collectivisation, that is the essential point. Did I foresee collectivisation? I did not. What was needed was Stalin’s remarkable far-sightedness, his great courage in facing the problems and applying policies. 5 10 3 Source C From private notes of a conversation which he held with Nikolai Bukharin by Lev Kamenev, 11 July 1928. Kamenev’s notes were not published until 1993. Kamenev: Is the leadership struggle really serious? Bukharin: That’s precisely what I wanted to talk about. I feel that Stalin’s line is disastrous for the whole revolution. Both of us could be overthrown on account of it. The disagreements between us and Stalin are many times more serious than the disagreements my comrades and I used to have with you. Rykov, Tomsky and I are unanimous in declaring that it would be much better if you and Zinoviev were in the Politburo instead of Stalin. Stalin is an unprincipled intriguer who subordinates everything to the preservation of his own power. He changes his theory according to whom he needs to get rid of. We are becoming a police state. Despite the opposition to him in Leningrad, talk of removing Stalin frightens people and there is a terrible fear of a party split. When Stalin made some concessions he made it difficult for anyone to attack him. We don’t want to appear factionalists. 5 10 0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the leadership struggle in the years 1924 to 1929. [30 marks] Turn over for Section B IB/M/Jun24/7042/2N Turn over ► 6 IB/M/Jun24/7042/2N Section B Answer two questions. 0 2 To what extent had Bolshevik authority been established in Russia by the end of 1917? [25 marks] 0 3 ‘In the 1930s, Stalin’s Five Year Plans were a failure.’ Assess the validity of this view. [25 marks] 0 4 ‘Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War was entirely due to Stalin’s wartime leadership.’ Assess the validity of this view. [25 marks] END OF QUESTIONS Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. A-level HISTORY 7042/2N Component 2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 Mark scheme