Revolution from above

Revolution from above

1. Theoretically, the 1917 revolution had been a revolution from below

   • Bukharin and the right used this notion to argue that since the USSR was now a proletarian society the economy should be left to develop by itself, however Stalin's economic reforms ended this thinking

2. Lenin had created a central planning agency known as Gosplan, however under Stalin state control would be total so the scale and thoroughness became much greater.

   • There was an important political aspect to this; he confirmed his authority over Party and government

3. Stalin compared the significance his economic changes to Lenin's sanction of the October revolution

   • This was obviously in order to enhance his status as a revolutionary leader