COMMUNISM IN RUSSIA 1900-1940 FOCUS QUESTION: STALIN INTERPRETATION OF MARXISM:
MARXISM- LENINISM.
Marx had believed that the working classes created by capitalism would eventually overthrow the
system themselves. But Lenin argued that political revolution needs to come first, led by a well-
organized working-class party. Joseph Stalin Man of steel ruled the Soviet Union from 1928 until his
death in 1953. He established such a powerful dictatorship that no-one was able to challenge his
position. He presented himself as personally responsible for all Soviet achievements. He had
enormous personal power and used terror to control the population.
Stalin proclaimed the official ideology of the soviet state under his rule to be Marxism-Leninism.
Historian argue that Lenin had established a highly centralized dictatorship and that Stalin was
simply building on what was already in place. Other argue that Stalin used personal control and
terror far more than Lenin ever had and they described Stalin as a contradiction of Marxism and
Leninism. When Stalin came into power in 1928, he abandoned Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)
and introduced a series of FIVE-YEAR PLANS where the focus was on turning the Soviet Union into a
giant power and modernizing agriculture.
To increase agriculture production, Stalin introduced a system of Collectivization. Peasants were no
longer just producing enough for their families. Food production was now organization and planned
by the state. However, many peasants resisted collectivization and instead of handing over their
crops and livestock to the state, they burned them. As a result, millions of peasants died from
hunger and Stalin used Famine to force them to submit to the government. The main focus of
Stalin’s Economic Policy was on industrialization. Between 1928 and 1937 the First two FIVE YEAR
PLANS transformed the economy into modern industrialized state. Heavy industries like coal mining,
iron and steel, electricity, oil and machinery expanded dramatically. Over a hundred new industrial
towns were built. An industrial economy needed a skilled workforce, so thousands of schools were
built.
In spite of the remarkable achievements of the FIVE-YEAR PLAN, there were some problems. The
quality of many goods was poor, productivity was low, shortage of people with necessary skills,
many projects used forced labor, workers worked under dangerous conditions and causality rates
were high.
MARXISM- LENINISM.
Marx had believed that the working classes created by capitalism would eventually overthrow the
system themselves. But Lenin argued that political revolution needs to come first, led by a well-
organized working-class party. Joseph Stalin Man of steel ruled the Soviet Union from 1928 until his
death in 1953. He established such a powerful dictatorship that no-one was able to challenge his
position. He presented himself as personally responsible for all Soviet achievements. He had
enormous personal power and used terror to control the population.
Stalin proclaimed the official ideology of the soviet state under his rule to be Marxism-Leninism.
Historian argue that Lenin had established a highly centralized dictatorship and that Stalin was
simply building on what was already in place. Other argue that Stalin used personal control and
terror far more than Lenin ever had and they described Stalin as a contradiction of Marxism and
Leninism. When Stalin came into power in 1928, he abandoned Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)
and introduced a series of FIVE-YEAR PLANS where the focus was on turning the Soviet Union into a
giant power and modernizing agriculture.
To increase agriculture production, Stalin introduced a system of Collectivization. Peasants were no
longer just producing enough for their families. Food production was now organization and planned
by the state. However, many peasants resisted collectivization and instead of handing over their
crops and livestock to the state, they burned them. As a result, millions of peasants died from
hunger and Stalin used Famine to force them to submit to the government. The main focus of
Stalin’s Economic Policy was on industrialization. Between 1928 and 1937 the First two FIVE YEAR
PLANS transformed the economy into modern industrialized state. Heavy industries like coal mining,
iron and steel, electricity, oil and machinery expanded dramatically. Over a hundred new industrial
towns were built. An industrial economy needed a skilled workforce, so thousands of schools were
built.
In spite of the remarkable achievements of the FIVE-YEAR PLAN, there were some problems. The
quality of many goods was poor, productivity was low, shortage of people with necessary skills,
many projects used forced labor, workers worked under dangerous conditions and causality rates
were high.
