Ryutin Affair facts for kids

The Ryutin Affair was an important event that happened in the Soviet Union in the summer of 1932. It showed how Joseph Stalin was gaining more and more power.

What Was the Ryutin Affair?

The Ryutin Affair started because of a man named Martemyan Ryutin. He was a member of the Communist Party. Ryutin disagreed with how Stalin was leading the party and the country. He believed Stalin's ideas were too extreme.

The "Ryutin Platform"

Ryutin wrote a long document that was about 200 pages long. It was called the "Ryutin Platform." In this document, he openly criticized Stalin's leadership. He wrote about the problems he saw with Stalin's plans for the Soviet Union.

Spreading the Word

In August 1932, about twelve other party members met with Ryutin. They read his document and agreed with many of his points. They then shared the "Ryutin Platform" with other people in the Communist Party.

Stalin's Reaction

When Stalin found out about the "Ryutin Platform," he was very angry. He believed that Ryutin and his friends were trying to remove him from power. Stalin saw this as a serious threat to his control.

Arrests and Punishment

Ryutin was quickly arrested. Stalin wanted him to be put to death for his actions. However, at this time, Stalin did not have enough power to simply order Ryutin's execution. Instead, Ryutin was sent to a harsh labor camp for ten years.

Many People Arrested

Everyone in the party who had read Ryutin's document was also arrested. This shows how serious Stalin was about stopping any disagreement. In 1933, about 800,000 people were arrested. In 1934, another 340,000 were sent to these camps.

The Final Outcome

Even though Ryutin was sent to a camp, Stalin still saw him as a threat. By 1937, Stalin's power had grown much stronger. After a very short trial that lasted only 40 minutes, Ryutin was finally put to death on January 1, 1937. This event showed that Stalin had become powerful enough to eliminate anyone who opposed him.