Uncommon Knowledge: Part 1: Stephen Kotkin on Stalin’s Rise to Power

Hoover Institution

6 Oct 201533:25

EducationalLearning

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TLDRIn this interview, Peter Robinson speaks with author Steven Cotkin about his book 'Stalin: Paradoxes of Power 1878 to 1928'. The conversation delves into Joseph Stalin's rise from humble beginnings to become the Soviet Union's dictator. It explores his early life, education, and the pivotal moments that led to his accumulation of power, including the collectivization of agriculture and his role in the Russian Revolutions of 1917. The discussion highlights Stalin's transformation from a believer to a communist, his strategic moves during the civil war, and his eventual consolidation of power after Lenin's stroke, revealing the makings of a ruthless and cunning leader.

Takeaways

📚 Joseph Stalin was born to a poor cobbler and rose to become the ruler of the largest nation on Earth, initiating a world revolution.
🎓 Stalin's early life was shaped by his education, starting from learning to read and write in a Georgian-Russian bilingual environment, which was not common at the time.
👨‍🏫 Stalin showed academic excellence and leadership qualities from a young age, being a teacher's pet and often leading groups of children in the streets.
🏛 Despite his initial path towards priesthood, Stalin eventually joined the revolutionary underground, spending years in prison and exile.
🕊️ The Russian Orthodox Church played a significant role in Stalin's early education, providing access to schooling that would shape his future.
🔄 The script questions the extent to which one's childhood experiences, like potential beatings, truly influence their political beliefs and actions, as in Stalin's case.
👥 Stalin's rise to power involved navigating a complex political landscape, including the tumultuous period of the Russian Revolutions in 1917.
🛑 The February and October Revolutions of 1917 marked pivotal shifts in Russian governance, with the latter leading to the Bolsheviks under Lenin and Stalin's rise.
🤝 Stalin's relationship with Lenin was crucial to his ascent; he became Lenin's right-hand man and was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party.
🧩 The script highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of power, the geopolitical context, and personal ambition in Stalin's accumulation of authority.
🛠️ Stalin's transformation from a believer in the Russian Orthodox Church to a committed communist illustrates the drastic changes in his personal ideology.

Q & A

Who is the author of 'Stalin: Uncommon Knowledge' and what is his profession?
-The author is Steven Kotkin, who is a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford and a professor in history and international affairs at Princeton University.
What is the significance of the year 1928 in the context of Stalin's life and actions?
-1928 is significant because it marks the year when Stalin decided to collectivize agriculture, an action that would impact over 100 million people in Eurasia.
What was the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Stalin's early education?
-The Russian Orthodox Church provided a school in the town where Stalin was born, which allowed him to learn to read and write at a time when this was not standard. Additionally, a priest taught him Russian, which was crucial for his further education.
What were the two main languages of the Caucasus region and how are they related?
-The two main languages were Georgian and Russian. They are not related at all; they are two entirely different languages, and knowing one does not help with learning the other.
Why did Stalin give up his path to becoming a priest or monk?
-Instead of continuing on the path to priesthood, Stalin joined the revolutionary underground, spending the next two decades on the run, in prison, and in exile, fighting for social justice.
What was the political climate like in Russia during Stalin's early revolutionary activities?
-The political climate was oppressive, with all political activity being illegal. Opposition to the Tsarist regime took the form of an underground political movement due to the lack of legal avenues for political participation.
How did the Russian Revolution of 1917 occur and what were its immediate causes?
-The Russian Revolution of 1917 occurred during World War I, with the immediate causes being the perception that the Tsar was mismanaging the war and a food crisis in the cities, leading to widespread discontent and revolt.
What was the role of the Duma in the February Revolution of 1917?
-The Duma was a quasi-parliamentary body that the generals used to facilitate Nicholas II's abdication. A faction within the Duma, in collusion with the generals, formed the Provisional Government after the Tsar's abdication.
Why was the October Revolution in 1917 considered a coup?
-The October Revolution was considered a coup because it was led by Lenin and a group of Bolsheviks who seized power from the Provisional Government, which had been struggling to manage the war and domestic crises.
How did Stalin rise to power within the Bolshevik regime after the October Revolution?
-Stalin rose to power by becoming close to Lenin, who recognized his organizational skills and appointed him as General Secretary of the Communist Party. After Lenin suffered a stroke, Stalin used this position to consolidate his power and create a personal dictatorship within the Bolshevik regime.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Early Life and Education of Joseph Stalin

The first paragraph introduces Joseph Stalin, born to a poor cobbler, who would rise to become the ruler of the Soviet Union. It discusses the author of 'Stalin: Uncommon Knowledge,' Steven Cotkin, and his work on a three-volume series starting with 'Stalin Paradoxes of Power 1878 to 1928.' The focus is on Stalin's early life, education, and his transformation from a seminary student to a revolutionary. The paragraph also touches on the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church on his early learning and the significance of his Georgian heritage in contrast to Russian education.

05:01

🔑 The Making of a Revolutionary: Stalin's Journey

This paragraph delves into Stalin's transition from a promising seminary student to a committed revolutionary. It discusses his intelligence, ambition, and leadership qualities from a young age. The narrative explores his physical stature, his role in the underground movement, and the political climate of Russia under the oppressive Tsarist regime. It also highlights the challenges faced by the regime, including the lack of a legal political system and the emergence of a revolutionary underground as a response to state oppression.

10:04

🏛 The Fall of the Tsarist Regime and the 1905 Revolution

The third paragraph examines the failings of the Tsarist regime, which struggled to maintain its status as a world power amidst internal corruption and inefficiency. It describes the 1905 revolution, the establishment of the Duma, and the ongoing political instability that characterized Russia's attempt to modernize. The narrative also discusses the regime's brittleness and the role of local officials, who were often susceptible to bribery and incompetence, contributing to the eventual rise of revolutionary sentiment.

15:04

🌐 World War I and the 1917 Russian Revolutions

This paragraph focuses on the impact of World War I on Russia and the two revolutions that occurred in 1917. It explains the February Revolution, which led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the accidental establishment of a republic, as well as the October Revolution, which was a coup led by Lenin and the Bolsheviks. The narrative details the failures of the Provisional Government to manage the war and the food crisis, setting the stage for the Bolsheviks to seize power.

20:07

🤝 The Rise of Stalin within the Bolshevik Leadership

The fifth paragraph explores Stalin's rise within the Bolshevik party after the 1917 revolutions. It describes his initial unimpressive meetings with Lenin but his subsequent rise as a key figure in the party, largely due to Lenin's mentorship and strategic decisions. The paragraph also discusses the roles of Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders during the Civil War and the pivotal moment when Lenin appointed Stalin as General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922.

25:07

🛠 The Consolidation of Stalin's Power and Lenin's Legacy

The final paragraph examines the critical period following Lenin's stroke in 1922 and how it paved the way for Stalin's consolidation of power. It discusses Stalin's role as General Secretary and his creation of a personnel and ideological machine within the Communist Party. The narrative highlights Stalin's ruthless and cunning nature, which allowed him to seize the levers of power and establish a personal dictatorship within the Bolshevik regime.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Collectivization

Collectivization refers to the process of consolidating individual land holdings and labor into collective farms. In the context of the video, it is a pivotal decision made by Stalin in 1928 to control agriculture and the peasantry, which was a significant shift in Soviet policy and had profound implications for the lives of millions in Eurasia.

💡Revolutionary Underground

The term 'revolutionary underground' denotes the covert networks of activists opposing the established order, often due to political repression. In the script, it is mentioned that Stalin joined this underground movement, which was a radical departure from his path to becoming a priest and indicates his commitment to revolutionary change.

💡Zarist Regime

The Zarist Regime, or Tsarist regime, refers to the autocratic rule of the Russian Empire under the Romanov dynasty. The script describes the regime as oppressive and highlights its inability to manage political and social challenges effectively, which contributed to the conditions that led to the Russian Revolution.

💡Orthodox Seminary

An Orthodox Seminary is an educational institution that trains individuals for service in the Orthodox Church. The script mentions that Stalin was admitted to the seminary in Tiflis, indicating his early religious education and vocation, which contrasts sharply with his later political ideology.

💡General Secretary

The General Secretary in the context of the Soviet Union was the highest position within the Communist Party, effectively controlling the party apparatus. The script explains that Lenin appointed Stalin to this role in 1922, which became a critical step in consolidating Stalin's power.

💡Russian Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest and largest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches. In the video script, the church is noted for providing educational opportunities, which influenced Stalin's early life and education, despite him later becoming an atheist and a communist leader.

💡Civil War

The Civil War mentioned in the script refers to the conflict that took place in Russia from 1917 to 1922, between the Bolsheviks, who were later to become the Communist Party, and their opponents. This war was crucial for the establishment of the Soviet regime and saw Stalin and Trotsky playing significant roles.

💡Bolsheviks

The Bolsheviks were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that eventually formed the core of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The script describes how Stalin rose within the Bolshevik hierarchy to become a key figure in the Soviet state.

💡Dictatorship

A dictatorship is a form of government where absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruler or a small elite group. The script discusses how Stalin transformed the position of General Secretary into a personal dictatorship within the Bolshevik regime after Lenin's incapacitation.

💡Trotsky

Leon Trotsky was a Russian revolutionary, the founder of the Red Army, and a key figure in the Bolsheviks' rise to power. In the script, Trotsky's role during the Civil War and his relationship with Stalin are highlighted, showing the dynamics within the early Soviet leadership.

💡Exile

Exile refers to the state of being expelled from one's country or place of residence, often as a form of punishment. The script mentions that Stalin was exiled multiple times by the Zarist regime, which was a common fate for political dissidents at the time.

Highlights

Steven Kotkin, author of 'Stalin: Paradoxes of Power 1878 to 1928', discusses the life and rise of Joseph Stalin.

Stalin's background as a poor cobbler's son and his unlikely ascent to become the ruler of the largest nation on Earth.

The significance of 1928 as the year Stalin decided to collectivize agriculture, affecting over 100 million people.

Kotkin's exploration of the mechanisms of power and Stalin's personality in the context of Russian history and geopolitics.

Stalin's early life in a market town, his parents' aspirations, and the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in his education.

The contrast between Georgian and Russian languages and how Stalin's knowledge of Russian influenced his entry into school.

Stalin's academic success and his initial desire to become a priest or monk, reflecting his deep belief in the church.

The transformation of Stalin from a believer to a communist and his subsequent involvement in the revolutionary underground.

The oppressive nature of the Tsarist regime and its inability to address political, social, and economic issues effectively.

Stalin's physical stature and his role as a leader among his peers, highlighting his force of personality over physical presence.

The challenges faced by the Tsarist regime in maintaining control and the significance of its eventual collapse.

The distinction between the February and October Revolutions of 1917 and their impact on Russia's political landscape.

Stalin's rise within the Bolshevik regime after the October Revolution and his relationship with Lenin.

Lenin's appointment of Stalin as General Secretary of the Communist Party and the subsequent power dynamics within the party.

The critical event of Lenin's stroke in 1922 and how it positioned Stalin to consolidate power within the regime.

Kotkin's methodological approach to studying Stalin, emphasizing the use of primary documents and real-time accounts.

The creation of Stalin's personal dictatorship within the Bolshevik regime and his tactics to maintain and expand his power.

Transcripts

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Uncommon Knowledge: Part 2: Stephen Kotkin discusses Stalin’s consolidation of power

Related Tags

Stalin Biography Soviet History Russian Revolution Dictatorship Power Struggle Bolshevik Regime Cultural Impact Political Analysis Historical Insights Leadership Dynamics