Most farms were smallholdings tended by peasants. These holdings were never efficient in Stalin’s eyes so he introduced the policy of collectivisation. Peasants had to give up their land and join with other families on very large farms. These new farms were supplied by the state with seed, tools, tractors and other machinery. Their products produced were taken to the government to share throughout the country. There was some opposition towards collectivisation by the Kulaks however this was dealt with by ht secret police. The policy of collectivisation was a success to Stalin as it removed the Kulaks, and also took control of the peasants. Most importantly it allowed Stalin to get cheap food for the cities.
Stalin’s had great control over the economy. Both policies were benefiting him and the country. He had full control of the people that were working and of the punishments. The rules he put in order were strict and effective. No one would dare do anything wrong, knowing what had happened to the last person who done a minor mistake. The economic policies had great effect on Stalin mainly because the people of the country were happy that their country was improving swiftly.
Radical policies such as Stalin’s were bound you cause concern. Criticism within the Communist Party grew because of the human cost of Stalin’s policies. Stalin aim was to remove all potential opposition. This was when the purges started. Stalin arrested, imprisoned, murdered thousands of people throughout the USSR.
The purges began in 1934 when Kirov, the leader of Leningrad Communist party was murdered. Stalin used this murder as an excuse to ‘purge’ or clear out his opponents in the party. Historians strongly suspect that Stalin arranged for Kirov’s murder to give him that excuse. In show trials loyal Bolshevik’s such as Kamenev, Bukharin and Zinoviev confessed to being traitors to the State. It was not only leading figures who were purged. Around 500,000 Party members were arrested on charge of anti-Soviet activities and either executed or sent to labor camps.
Many were tortured and were threatened. If one did not admit to the accusation they were being punished for, it would be the end of their family. Stalin held show trials; this would prove to others that Stalin was right to punish them. This gave Stalin opportunities to hold thousands of show trials and get away with each and every one of them. This created disappearance of people within and outside of the party. The purges created fear throughout the country. People were afraid of even thinking of something that was against the rules. As a result of the purges and fear everyone was disciplined and agreed with everything that Stalin mentioned.
During the period of the purges, the number of party member fell from 3.5 million in 1934 to 2 million in 1935. Therefore a lot of party members were targets in Stalin’s eyes. Army officers were also a huge target, 25,000 army officers were attacked during 1937. In total, throughout the country about 8 million were directly affected by the purges, either killed or sent to labor camps.
These attacks were carried out by the secret police, which were controlled by Stalin. They were each set targets by Stalin himself, for how many arrest should be made in a certain amount of time. The Secret Police themselves were afraid; they tried to exceed the target so that they were not suspected by Stalin.
Due to the purges Stalin’s control was very strong. The people of the country were in perfect order. Stalin had complete control; however this control was over fear. He had no opposition due to the purges, or the opposition he had were to afraid to show themselves. The purges got rid almost all the opposition and most importantly increased his power.
The secret police were called the OGPU. They fulfilled any demands by Stalin. They lead many acts of terror for Stalin. They obeyed orders of Stalin, and Stalin alone. Stalin used the secret police through out his time in power. With all his policies and schemes the Secret Police was involved. This helped his control mainly in terror as they were the ones who lead out the act of terror for Stalin.
The OGPU played a vital role in the achievements of Stalin’s punishments sent out to the country. Stalin increased the size of the OGPU and used it to destroy all of his opposition to his leadership and terrorise ordinary people so that they would not dare disobey his decrees. The labor camps (gulags), were set up throughout the country, these were run by the secret police. They imprisoned millions who were forced to do manual work. This included building railways or working in mines.
Stalin’s policies were enforced by the secret police. The economic policies were one of the policies that the secret police were part of. If anyone had disagreed about Stalin’s policies they were sent straight to the labor camps and were dealt with by the secret police. For Stalin’s economic policies a major problem was the Kulaks. Stalin used his powers over the secret police to get rid of this opposition. For the Purges Stalin needed the secret police to carry out the attacks of terror.
Stalin used propaganda in many different forms. He used propaganda to make the people in Russia think the way that he thought. He also used it to make himself look like a god of the country.
The propaganda made Stalin look like a good and honest person. They admired Stalin as his pictures and statues were almost everywhere. This was like almost hypnotising them that Stalin was a good and heroic figure. Stalin appeared to be trying to make the country the best it has ever been and nothing else. Everyone thought due to the propaganda that Stalin was great and was the reason why Russia was going to be great in the future.
The propaganda that Stalin enforced included schools to teach the children about Stalin being a hero. Images of Stalin were in lots of places, books and songs all praised Stalin. More importantly it motivated workers to work faster, and better. The most important of all, was the fact that it made it seem as if Stalin had nothing to do with the purges. The people of the country were entirely certain that he had nothing to do with them.
In my opinion the Secret Police most certainly is the most important reason why Stalin was able to stay in power. This is because this allowed him to take complete control over the country by fear. Also this allowed him to carry out his policies without many difficulties. The next important reason why he was able to stay in power is the purges, because this took away all his opposition and allowed him to make use of his economic policies. The propaganda was important for Stalin however it was the least important for Stalin to stay in power. The Secret police contributed in almost everything for Stalin therefore in the most important.