Political - Purges and Show Trials: The Recording of a Show Trial
In this source, it depicts how Stalin, "the leader of the word's first worker's state", was dangerously afraid of his political opponents and felt threatened by them constantly, highlighting his insecurity, and making them all his victims.
From this video, it is apparent that Stalin had used methods such as Show Trials, whereby trials are made public and the fate of the person trialled had already been decidedly condemned, to instil a sense of fear and respect, showing how all opposition was not to be dealt with lightly. It was meant to be a demonstration of not just the state's power, but that of Stalin's and the wrath he would rain down on those who went against him.
His political rivals such as Kamenev, Zinoviev and Bukharin, who was the one being trialled in this video, were made forcibly to sign false confessions under the threat of the security of their families or after gruesome torture, and were all executed ultimately. These methods of forcing out confessions of crimes that his enemies did not commit were also ways to gain a political advantage, eliminating all opposition, holding them guilty for outrageous charges, and decreasing the popularity of those that went against him. This was therefore an assured way of advancing his own political standing and allowed him to, at the same time, punish his opposers.
This source was chosen in particular for shedding light on how show trials went under Stalin's administration and his thirst for an unopposed, total rule. The video also included and interview with Nikolai Bukharin's wife, Anna Larina, who was later on sent to a gulag. It highlights how Stalin's insatiable appetite for power resulted in the loss of many lives and his intolerance for opposition, even from those whom he was closest to and those who were most loyal to him, would land his "comrades" in execution and defamation.
Therefore, with Stalin's interests placed in maintaining his personal political power and advantage rather than aiming to work with the people in the Politburo and his country, coupled along with his dictate ruling, it emphasises how he, as a leader, was more concerned with his political opponents than other matters at hand during that period of time and was ultimately not a saviour of the USSR.
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