The making of modern Russia, 1855–1991 - 4 Khrushchev and attempts to…

The idea

Khrushchev's administrative reforms aimed to make the Soviet system more efficient. Decentralisation included creating regional economic councils (sovnarkhozy) in 1957 to replace many central ministries, giving local managers more control over production. The security apparatus was restructured: the KGB was separated from the MVD in 1954 and placed under party control; terror was reduced. Culturally, the 'Thaw' brought limited freedom: Solzhenitsyn's 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich' was published in 1962, and more Western works appeared. But limitations remained: Pasternak's 'Doctor Zhivago' was banned in 1958, and churches were closed in the anti-religious campaign from 1959. Thus reform was real but controlled.

What earns the marks

• Explains decentralisation: the 1957 creation of sovnarkhozy (regional economic councils) to replace central industrial ministries, aiming to improve local decision-making and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
• Describes the restructuring of the security apparatus: the 1954 separation of the KGB from the MVD, the KGB's subordination to the party, and the reduction of mass terror, though the KGB still suppressed dissent.
• Explains limitations on cultural freedom: the banning of Pasternak's 'Doctor Zhivago' in 1958, the persecution of Boris Pasternak, and the 1962-63 campaign against 'formalist' art (e.g., the Manege exhibition).
• Describes the closure of churches: from 1959, a renewed anti-religious campaign closed many churches, monasteries and seminaries, and restricted religious practice.
• Evaluates the overall impact: administrative reforms were often reversed or chaotic, and cultural freedom was inconsistent, showing Khrushchev's attempt to reform without losing party control.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Stating that decentralisation meant full local autonomy.

  Put it right: Sovnarkhozy were still under party control and central planning remained; the reforms were administrative, not market-based.

• Claiming that the KGB was abolished or that terror ended completely.

  Put it right: The KGB was separated from the MVD in 1954 and became the main security organ; it continued to suppress dissent, though mass terror ended.

• Saying that the 'Thaw' gave complete freedom of speech and press.

  Put it right: Censorship persisted; works like 'Doctor Zhivago' were banned and authors could be persecuted, as seen in the 1962-63 anti-formalist campaign.

• Asserting that all churches were closed immediately after 1956.

  Put it right: The anti-religious campaign intensified from 1959, leading to widespread but not total closures by 1964.

Exam tips

• Use specific examples to show both reform and limitation: sovnarkhozy for decentralisation, KGB for security, 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich' for cultural freedom, and church closures for limits.
• When discussing cultural freedom, distinguish between official tolerance and continued censorship; mention the Pasternak affair as a clear limit.
• For administrative reforms, explain their aims and assess whether they achieved their goals; note that many were reversed after Khrushchev's fall in 1964.
• Link the reforms to Khrushchev's overall aim: to modernise and legitimise the Soviet system without democratising it.