RUSSIAN JUSTICE - CRJU 475-T, Spring 2002
Full title:  Politics and Justice in Stalinīs Russia

Jay Wachtel

Course description and learning goals

This course explores factors leading to the establishment and maintenance of a totalitarian regime in post-Revolutionary Russia.  Students will learn how the organs of state security and the Russian judicial system were employed as an instrument of repression, with special attention to the Moscow Show Trials. Stalin's success in gaining support for his actions from the Western world will also be discussed.

To help students better comprehend the juridical and political aspects of Stalinīs purges, each will prepare a detailed biography of a purged Party member and take on that person as a "role" throughout the semester.  Well-prepared oral presentations are a required component of the course.

Required Texts

  • Kenez, Peter.  A History of the Soviet Union From the Beginning to the End . Cambridge University, 1998 (paper).
  • Conquest, Robert.  The Great Terror: a Reassessment.  Oxford University: 1991 (paper).
  • Course packet: "Soviet Criminal Justice and the Great Terror", by Peter H. Solomon, Jr., and "The Penal Code of the RSFSR"

On Reserve

  • The Case of the Anti-Soviet Trotskyite Centre (1937 trial transcript)
  • Report of Court Proceedings in the Case of the Anti-Soviet Bloc of Rights and Trotskyites (1938 trial transcript)
  • Stalinīs Letters to Molotv 1925-1936
  • Let History Judge
  • The Road to Terror

Term Paper

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of course material by submitting a comprehensive biography of an assigned defendant from the Great Show Trials of 1936, 1937 and 1938. This biography will be written as a first-person narrative; in essence, an "autobiography" that tracks the assigned individual from birth through their appearance in the trial. The paper will otherwise follow the format of an academic paper. It must be structured as described below, must include comprehensive citations in APA style and a bibliography.

General Instructions

The paper will be submitted in three parts (see schedule for due dates). Each part must be no less than 4 nor more than 6 pages in length, excluding the cover sheet.  Each part must use at least five references other than the required texts. No more than 2 references can be from the Internet, and at least 2 must be from a book or scholarly article not on reserve.  Each paper will be submitted and orally presented in class on its due date.

The paper must be your own original work.  Do not use any paper or article that you have used or are using in any other course.  Students must use their own words and thoughts throughout the paper.  Copying without attribution, or paraphrasing, or rearranging words or sentences to make paragraphs seem original, are strictly prohibited. Quotations may be used, but sparingly.  When quoting, include "quote" marks and be referenced with a source and page number, as required in the APA style. A very broad view of the meaning of plagiarism will be enforced. Plagiarism will result in automatic failure of the course.  If there are any questions about the source of material, rewriting will be required.

For more information on how to correctly paraphrase and give credit click

here (see examples 1-3).

Technical instructions

1. Plain white bond paper of normal weight. Sheets stapled at upper left.
2. Do NOT use any kind of binder. Front page is used as the cover sheet (does not count as a page of the paper).  On this page place your student ID number and the name of the course (Russian Justice).  Do NOT place your name anywhere on the paper.
3. Typewritten or printed using a computer printer, black ink.
4. One inch margins all around, single-sided, double-spaced, using 12 point type (Courier New or Times New Roman only).
5. Do NOT use any fancy fonts, graphics or color (other than black).
6. Do NOT place your name anywhere on the paper.
7. Use references throughout your paper, per APA style.
8. Bibliography is the last page (does not count as a page of the paper.)
9. Remember - write in the first person, as though you are writing an autobiography (this is the only permissible deviation from normal academic style.)

Structure of the paper

There are three parts. Each part is submitted as an individual paper and must include all required components (e.g., bibliography).

Keeping an approximate chronological order, relate "your" personal and professional involvement or connection to each important topic or event, as listed below, and as discussed in class and your texts.

  • Tell us about the event. What was it about? Assume we are totally ignorant.
  • How did you feel about the event?
  • How did the event affect you, your family and associates?
  • What did you do? Tell us what you did and how you tried to shape or influence the event.
  • What obstacles did you encounter?  How did you overcome them (or not)?

It is expected that papers will, at a minimum, provide coverage of areas marked (*)

Part I - Pre-Revolution to 1924

  • Political parties and their ideologies*
  • Czarist government and the Duma
  • February Revolution*
  • Provisional Government; disputes between socialists and non-socialists*
  • Nationalities policy
  • Attitude towards peasants and land redistribution*
  • Attitudes about Russiaīs involvement in WW-I*
  • Causes and consequences of October Revolution*
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
  • Revolutionary Justice
  • Repressions and trials of Mensheviks and SRīs
  • Cheka
  • Russian Civil War
  • Western powers
  • War Communism*
  • New Economic Policy*
  • Codification and regularization of Soviet Law (laws do not "melt away")
  • Communism "in one country"

Part II - 1925 - 1933

  • Struggles among Stalin, Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev
  • Rise and pre-eminence of Stalin
  • Official Party moves against Trotsky and his supporters
  • Forced collectivization
  • Rapid industrialization
  • Cultural revolution
  • "Wrecking" trials
  • First and Second Five-Year Plans

Part III - 1934 - 1939

  • Kirov, responsibility for Kirovīs assassination
  • Post-assassination show trials, trials of Zinoviev, Kamenev, etc.
  • Purges of other Party leaders (e.g., Bukharin)
  • 1936, 1937, 1938 show trials
  • Purges of military General Staff
  • Personal consequences

Referencing

Place references throughout your paper in APA format.  Use "quotations" sparingly, making sure you reference each to the source, including an exact page number, per APA style. For each Part of the paper, include a bibliography, in APA format (does not count as a page of the paper.)

Submitting and presenting the paper

You will submit your completed Part of the paper and orally present it on the date given (see schedule). Remember - each Part is a complete paper and must stand alone.

Present the paper in the first person ("I"). Tell us your story, focusing on key events.  You have a maximum of seven minutes, so for the oral presentation pick on the highlights. Instead of telling us a little about everything, tell us a lot about a few things.  You are that person, so take on whatever mannerisms or attitudes seem appropriate.  Be expressive but donīt ham it up. Understate, understate, understate! 

To help you present, prepare 4 X 6 cards, listing key points to use as a "cue".  (Cue cards are mandatory.)  Do not, under any circumstances, read from the cards. No one wants to sit through that!  Talk to us, tell us the story, referring to the cards only for brief moments, to refresh your mind and stay on track. Donīt even think about showing up without extensively rehearsing your presentation, in front of a mirror and with friends! Respect your audience, and it will respect you.

The completed paper is turned in before the presentation; the cue cards are turned in after the  presentation.  You will not be allowed to present unless you have the completed paper and cue cards.

Makeup presentations may be allowed ONLY for a fully documented emergency and must be accomplished during the next scheduled class session.

Class Participation

Attendance

This is a participative course.  Attendance is mandatory - roll will be taken. As the sessions are compressed, students who for any reason miss three class meetings will drop one letter grade.  Students who miss more than three class meetings will receive an "F" grade.  Missing one hour (including leaving early) is same as missing a class session.  If this could happen to you, keep track of University deadlines for dropping the course!

Weekly Updates

At the class sessions indicated on the schedule, each student will update the class about their biographical research.

It is mandatory that you use 4 X 6 cue cards, listing key points. But do not read from the cards. No one wants to sit through that!  Talk to us, tell us the story, referring to the cards only for brief moments, to refresh your mind and stay on track. Rehearse before showing up!  Respect your audience, and it will respect you. Cue cards will be checked after the presentations.

Trial reenacment

Each student will participate in a reenacment of the Moscow show trials, to be presented to members of the Division and outside guests at 7:00 pm, May 22, the last regularly scheduled class meeting. To earn class participation points, students must either (a) "testify", taking on the role of their biographical character, or (b) assist with preparation. Testifying is strictly voluntary. However, should everyone wish to do so, it will be necessary to randomly select two students to help prepare the others and stage the re-enacment.

Please keep in mind that "acting" ability is irrelevant. Rather, the purpose is to help students better understand how the justice and political systems were used to liquidate Stalinīs opposition.

Students who choose to "testify" will be required to prepare brief excerpts from their biographies and to study (and hopefully memorize) brief sections of the trial transcripts. Students who assist will coach others and help prepare and stage the re-enacment.

Grading

100 points can be earned - 25 for each Part of the paper (including 5 for each presentation), 10 total for the updates, and 15 for working on the re-enacment, either as a "witness" or assistant (5 points for each of the last three class sessions). Semester grade may be adjusted to reflect class performance. Unexcused failure to participate in and complete any component of course - the papers, updates or re-enacment - will result in automatic failure of the course. Please - do not "skip" something because you think you have enough points! No extra credit assignments will be given.

Schedule

Meeting no. - Date - Topics - Readings

1 - 2/6 - Prelude to the Revolution - Kenez, Chp. 1

  • Politics and justice under the Czars
  • Oppositional parties, socialist and non-socialist ideologies

2 - 2/13 - February and October Revolutions - Kenez, Chp. 2
WEEKLY UPDATES BEGIN. 

  • Struggles between the parties
  • Provisional Government
  • Bolshevik coup
  • Revolutionary justice
  • Civil War begins
  • Relations with the West

3 - 2/20 - Consolidation and Struggle - Kenez, Chp. 3; Conquest, Intro
WEEKLY UPDATE.

  • Economic change
  • Establishment of Bolshevik political supremacy
  • Codification of Soviet law, Communist legality
  • Nationalities question
  • Effects of New Economic Policy; status of workers and peasants
  • Struggles within Communist factions

4 - 2/27 - PAPER PART I DUE, ORAL PRESENTATIONS

5 - 3/6 - Contīd

6 - 3/13 - Collectivization, industrialization and "wrecking"- Kenez, Chp. 4; Conquest, Chp. 1
WEEKLY UPDATE.

7 - 3/20 - Purges Within the Party - Kenez, Chp. 5; Conquest, Chp. 2
WEEKLY UPDATE.

  • Purge of the Trotskyites and Zinovievites
  • Ascendancy of Stalin
  • Assassination of Kirov
  • First purge trials - Zinoviev, Kamenev
  • Juridical and procedural implications

8 - 3/27 PAPER PART II DUE, ORAL PRESENTATIONS

9 - 4/3 - No class, Spring recess

10 - 4/10 - Purges Within the Party - Conquest, Chps. 3, 4
WEEKLY UPDATE.

  • Purges of other Party leaders (e.g., Bukharin)
  • Confessions and their motivation
  • Juridical and procedural implications

11 - 4/17 - Moscow show trials - Conquest, Chps. 5, 6, 7
WEEKLY UPDATE.

  • 1936, 1937, 1938 show trials
  • Juridical and procedural implications
  • Purges of military General Staff
  • Personal consequences to defendants and families
  • Effects on war preparedness

12 - 4/24 - Contīd - WEEKLY UPDATE.

13 - 5/1 -Trial testimony, selected witnesses, 1936, 1937, 1938 trials.
Mandatory class meeting (worth 5 points) - roll will be taken

14 - 5/8 - Mandatory class meeting (worth 5 points) - roll will be taken

15 - 5/15 - Mandatory class meeting (worth 5 points) - roll will be taken

16 - 5/22 - Trial reenacment - mandatory class meeting (worth 5 points) - roll will be taken

17 - 5/29 - PAPER PART III DUE BY 5:30 PM, in instructorīs mailbox.
 

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