Stalin's death provides a test case for an interpretation of weaknesses built into the Soviet political system. A change of leader could overturn priorities because officials had learned to follow personal power rather than stable institutions. Subordinates also had strong incentives to hide bad news, so leaders risked making decisions from reassuring falsehoods. Fear of popular discontent encouraged heavy-handed responses that could store up future problems. The struggle to prevent another leader from gaining Stalin's authority then produced several years of leadership churn. These pressures formed the political setting in which Kuznetsov fell and Gorshkov rose.
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Fear distorted information and succession after Stalin
Leadership turnover, fear of honest reporting, and fear of the public left Soviet institutions vulnerable when Stalin died.