How Far Had Stalin Consolidated His Position by 1941?

What did Stalin do to consolidate his power?

Stalin had consolidated his hold on power by 1941 and created a personal dictatorship in the USSR. However, he did not have have complete control over the USSR.

How did Stalin consolidate his power by 1941?

Stalin used 4 main methods to consolidate his power by 1941:

• ❖ The purges of the 1930s.
• ❖ His cult of personality.
• ❖ His control over the media and propaganda.
• ❖ The secret police, the NKVD, and the Gulag system system.

How did the purges help Stalin consolidate his power by 1941?

The purges helped Stalin consolidate his power in 5 main ways by:

• ❖ Removing all the 'Old Bolsheviks' who had a personal connection to Lenin and who could potentially replace him as the leader by having them killed.
• ❖ Removing any potential threats in the army.
• ❖ Using terror to silence anyone likely to voice opposition to his policies in the media, sciences, arts and education.
• ❖ Using terror to ensure the compliance of the population.
• ❖ Using the secret police, NKVD, and the gulag system to remove anyone considered a possible threat from society.

How did Stalin's cult of personality help consolidate his power by 1941?

Stalin's position was strengthened by his cult of personality because it created a loyal following. Stalin was viewed as the father-figure of the USSR and in an almost god-like way.

How did propaganda help consolidate Stalin's power by 1941?

The government of the USSR completely controlled all forms of information to which the population had access. This ensured the population was only exposed to the 'facts' and views the government wanted them to know. This reinforced Stalin's cult of personality.

How did the secret police help consolidate Stalin's power by 1941?

The secret police and the gulag system enabled Stalin to consolidate his power by 1941 because it provided a method by which he could remove any opposition from all parts of in society.

Why were there limits to how far Stalin could consolidate his power by 1941?

There were 6 key reasons why Stalin's consolidation of power by 1941 was limited or incomplete:

• ❖ The USSR was a difficult country to rule because it was so vast.
• ❖ It was difficult to control the far-flung regions as they did not always follow orders issued from Moscow.
• ❖ The central planning system was too inflexible and unresponsive to change.
• ❖ Managers often gave false data with regards to meeting targets and sacrificed quality to reach targets that were based on quantity. This undermined economic development.
• ❖ Bribery and corruption were very common at all levels in the Communist Party and the economy. This undermined the political and economic system.
• ❖ There were some instances of protests and disobedience against him despite his use of terror, particularly from the peasants against his collectivisation policy.