Why Did The Regime Resort To Mass Terror Analysis

Why did the regime resort to mass terror in 1936-1938?

The regime resorted to mass terror in 1936-38 mainly to counteract perceived threats. These threats were both viewed as external and internal. Externally, the soviet regime felt threatened from ‘capitalist encirclement’ and acted to prevent the regime succumbing to a foreign invasion. Internally, there was an increase in the identification of anti-Soviet sentiment spreading. Though these threats were largely untrue, the constant uncovering of them justified Stalin’s policy to counteract them. Finally, Stalin also used the mass terror to consolidate his power. However, before the immediate reasons as to why the regime resorted to mass terror are discussed, the reason as to why terror
The fear of ‘Capitalist Encirclement’ was consistently pointed to by the Soviet regime as a reason for them taking a harsh stance against those they believed posed a threat to the Soviet Union. Capitalist Encirclement is the Soviet theory that capitalist states were engulfing the communist country, with war being inevitable as a result. As James Harris states, this fear was very real in the regimes eyes, and not only used to justify the demands of state policy.8 It was ingrained within the Bolshevik ideology that the success of communism was perceived by the rest of the world as a direct threat to capitalism.9 This is evidenced by Stalins 1937 party address where he stated that 5/6ths of the world were capitalist, and that they were actively trying to implement spies and saboteurs within the soviet system in order to undermine power.10 Stalin pointed to the success of Franco in the Spanish Civil war through the use of what was deemed the ‘5th column’, this being fascist support existing with anti-fascist areas such as Madrid. He viewed this as evidence of how opponents can be successful should they sew support within the societies they were trying to
Stalin had recognized threats to his leadership earlier in the decade, and implemented tools he could call upon to carry out mass terror. Conquest is the primary contemporary in this school of thought. He points to the totalitarianism instilled by Lenin as a primary reason for Stalin carrying out this Great Terror, but also cites that Stalin firmly believed that he had to eradicate those that challenged him for the good of the nation. Conquest writes that there were 3 movements against him from within the soviet hierarchy from 1930-33.19 He states that this marks the beginning of when Stalin began to plan his consolidation of power. Christopher ward states that in 1932 Riutin circulated a 200-page pamphlet asking for the end of enforced collectivization.20 Furthermore he says that in 1934 at the 17th Part Congress provisional delegates had asked for Kirov to become General Secretary. 21 This demonstrates that there was certainly very real opposition to Stalin’s rule from within the part, thus showing why he resorted to mass terror. Citing how Stalin had always believed in the use of mass terror as a tool, Conquest states that Stalin realized he could not validate using it against opponents who were merely political. Conquest points to the assassination of Kirov in 1934 as being planned by Stalin in order for him to justify his plan for