Khrushchev's Leadership Style
Decentralization and Reform
- Decentralization: Khrushchev reduced the power of central ministries by transferring authority to regional economic councils ( sovnarkhozy).
- Agricultural Reforms:
- Launched the Virgin Lands Campaign to increase agricultural production by cultivating previously unused land.
- Increased investment in agriculture and raised prices paid to farmers.
- Industrial Reforms:
- Focused on consumer goods and light industry, shifting away from the heavy industry emphasis of the Stalin era.
- Introduced the Seven-Year Plan (1959-1965) to modernize the economy.
Khrushchev's reforms were often inconsistent and poorly implemented, leading to mixed results and resistance from within the party.
De-Stalinization and Political Change
- Secret Speech (1956):
- Khrushchev denounced Stalin's cult of personality and human rights abuses, shocking the party and the world.
- Cultural Thaw:
- Relaxed censorship and encouraged artistic and intellectual expression, allowing works like Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's " One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich."
- Political Reforms:
- Reduced the power of the secret police (KGB) and ended mass purges.
- Promoted collective leadership and regularized party meetings.
