How far did Khrushchev's Government differ from Stalin's?

Problems in 1953

• Stalin died - leaderless
• Cold War - tensions between USSR and USA
• Poor living conditions
• Shortages of consumer goods e.g. shoes
• People trying to leave
• Housing shortages
• Basic food not much variety
• Reduced population after war

How did he take power?

The contenders for power were

• Georgy Malenkov - he was said to be Stalin's choice of successor. After his death he became Premier of the Soviet Union, the leader of the Soviet Government
• Lavrentiy Beria - leader of Stalin's political police
• Nikita Khrushchev - he was a well liked member of the Politburo and on Stalin's death was appointed Secretary of the Central Committee

The Beria reforms set out to give more power to the Party and the State by restricting the power of the MVD

Beria's rivals were worried that he might use the MVD against them. So in June 1953 at a meeting of the Presidium Beria was arrested and executed. A plot organised by Malenkov and Khrushchev

From mid-1953 to the end of 1954 Khrushchev and Malenkov ruled as a dummvirate. Although they were working together there was still a struggle for power between them. 

Khrushchev used his position as Secretary of the general committee to introduce his supporters in the place of Stalinist Senior officials. Between 1953 and 1956 half of the regional Party secretaries had been replaced by Khrushchev and 44% of the Central committee

Next Khrushchev set out to weaken the State as it was Malenkov's power base.