History of the Soviet Union since 1917
November 8, 2002
High Stalinism: Soviet Politics at the Start of the Cold War (1945-1953)
I. Conceptual models
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Moscow State University, constructed 1949-1953 |
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Hotel Ukraina (Moscow), constructed 1956 (For images of all seven "Stalin skyscrapers," click here) |
- Totalitarianism/pluralism
- high Stalinism as continuation of "Stalinism"
- bureaucratic model of Soviet politics
- Stagnation/reform
II. Post-war USSR: the problem
- Political crises
- Economic crises
III. Structure of Soviet political system
- State apparatus (Council of Ministers)
- Democratic apparatus (elected soviets)
- Party apparatus
- weakness of Party due to war
- Politburo divisions
- Party "revivalists" (Zhdanov et al.)
- Statists (including Stalin)
IV. Revivalism vs. statism in practice
- Foreign policy: origins of Cold War (Kennan telegram)
- Cultural policy (Zhdanovism)
- Economic policy
V. Choices for economic reconstruction
- regional location (east vs. west)
- sectoral balance (heavy industry vs. consumer goods)
- control (centralized vs. decentralized)
VI. Outcomes: do roots of stagnation lie in system or political conflicts?
Music: Sergei Prokofiev, On Guard for Peace, op. 124 (1951). Lyrics by Samuil Marshak. Music of the Totalitarian Regime, St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Orchestra, Yuri Temarkanov, conductor (RCA Victor)
