To What Extent Can the Great Terror (1934-38) Be Explained by Stalin’s Paranoia? Essay Example
Topic: To what extent can the Great Terror (1934-38) be explained by Stalin’s paranoia?
The Great Terror had been designed to increase the economic production for Russian but it turned out to be a disaster. At the end of 1934, a wave of political terror claimed a million lives and resulted in twelve million people being sent to forced-labour camps. There were many reasons as to what caused the Great Terror for example Stalin’s paranoia, terror economics, and the murder of Kirov. First of all, Stalin’s paranoia stemmed from the root that he believed he still had enemies. Stalin feared the pro Trotsky Red Army and secret police who had a lack of control and could potentially assassinate him. Stalin feared what had happened to his previous rivals who had power and fell would also occur to him further fuelling his paranoia. Stalin was also unable to trust members in his party and his paranoia further increased when Kirov outvoted him. When the congress voted to elect the Central Committee, Kirov rather than Stalin topped the poll. Kirov received 1225 votes, compared to Stalin’s 927 votes. The result indicated that Kirov was more popular within the Communist Party than Stalin. Party Acting on this fear Stalin decided to remove those he saw as a threat and thus the great terror began. Stalin greatly feared older members of the party too as they knew the truth of Stalin’s rise to power and what Lenin’s testament contained which would have ruined Stalin’s career. Under Yagoda’s influence of suggesting communists questioned Stalin, his paranoia further developed and caused the emergence of the great terror. Undoubtedly Stalin felt he had to perform the mass purges because of his paranoia that he would be removed from power. As Stalin was in control this must be the main cause of the great terror as his desire to remain in power was the drive for allowing the great terror to happen.
Furthermore, another factor causes the Great Terror was the bad
The Great Terror had been designed to increase the economic production for Russian but it turned out to be a disaster. At the end of 1934, a wave of political terror claimed a million lives and resulted in twelve million people being sent to forced-labour camps. There were many reasons as to what caused the Great Terror for example Stalin’s paranoia, terror economics, and the murder of Kirov. First of all, Stalin’s paranoia stemmed from the root that he believed he still had enemies. Stalin feared the pro Trotsky Red Army and secret police who had a lack of control and could potentially assassinate him. Stalin feared what had happened to his previous rivals who had power and fell would also occur to him further fuelling his paranoia. Stalin was also unable to trust members in his party and his paranoia further increased when Kirov outvoted him. When the congress voted to elect the Central Committee, Kirov rather than Stalin topped the poll. Kirov received 1225 votes, compared to Stalin’s 927 votes. The result indicated that Kirov was more popular within the Communist Party than Stalin. Party Acting on this fear Stalin decided to remove those he saw as a threat and thus the great terror began. Stalin greatly feared older members of the party too as they knew the truth of Stalin’s rise to power and what Lenin’s testament contained which would have ruined Stalin’s career. Under Yagoda’s influence of suggesting communists questioned Stalin, his paranoia further developed and caused the emergence of the great terror. Undoubtedly Stalin felt he had to perform the mass purges because of his paranoia that he would be removed from power. As Stalin was in control this must be the main cause of the great terror as his desire to remain in power was the drive for allowing the great terror to happen.
Furthermore, another factor causes the Great Terror was the bad