TOTALITARIANISMTOTALITARIANISMStalinist RussiaStalinist Russia

After Lenin died, After Lenin died, there was a power there was a power struggle for control of struggle for control of the Communist Part.the Communist Part.

Stalin, Lenin’s Stalin, Lenin’s successor, successor, transformed the transformed the government and government and country by controlling country by controlling every aspect of every aspect of citizen’s lives.citizen’s lives.

BUILDING A TOTALITARIAN BUILDING A TOTALITARIAN STATESTATE

Stalin Focuses on Perfecting Communism in Stalin Focuses on Perfecting Communism in RussiaRussia

TotalitarianismTotalitarianism – a – a government that takes total government that takes total control over every aspect of control over every aspect of public and private life.public and private life.

This form of government goes This form of government goes against the democratic values against the democratic values of freedom, human dignity, of freedom, human dignity, and the worth of the and the worth of the individual.individual.

Stalin transformed the Soviet Stalin transformed the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state Union into a totalitarian state to realize his vision.to realize his vision.

COMMAND ECONOMYCOMMAND ECONOMYStalin Seizes Control of the EconomyStalin Seizes Control of the Economy

Stalin’s economic Stalin’s economic policies involved total policies involved total state control.state control.

Command Economy – a Command Economy – a system in which the system in which the government makes all government makes all economic decisions.economic decisions.

Under this system, Under this system, political leaders identify political leaders identify the country’s economic the country’s economic needs and determine needs and determine how to fulfill them.how to fulfill them.

LARGE NEED FOR LARGE NEED FOR CHANGECHANGE

Stalin announced, “We are Stalin announced, “We are fifty or a hundred years fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced behind the advanced countries. We must make countries. We must make good this distance in ten good this distance in ten years. Either we do it or we years. Either we do it or we shall be crushed.”shall be crushed.”

Country would take drastic Country would take drastic steps to promote rapid steps to promote rapid industrial growth and to industrial growth and to strengthen national defense.strengthen national defense.

INDUSTRIAL POLICIESINDUSTRIAL POLICIES

Impossibly high quotas, to increase the Impossibly high quotas, to increase the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity.output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity.

The government limited the production of The government limited the production of consumer goods.consumer goods.– severe shortages of housing, food, clothing, and severe shortages of housing, food, clothing, and

other necessary goods.other necessary goods.

The government chose the workers, The government chose the workers, assigned them jobs, and determined their assigned them jobs, and determined their working hoursworking hours– Needed police permission to moveNeeded police permission to move

AGRICULTURAL POLICIESAGRICULTURAL POLICIES

In 1928, the government seized over 25 million privately owned In 1928, the government seized over 25 million privately owned farms in the Soviet Union.farms in the Soviet Union.

It created It created collective farmscollective farms – large government owned farms – large government owned farms that each had hundreds of workers producing food for the state.that each had hundreds of workers producing food for the state.

Stalin used terror and violence to force peasants to work on the Stalin used terror and violence to force peasants to work on the collective farms (between 5 to 10 million peasants were killed).collective farms (between 5 to 10 million peasants were killed).

ART/RELGIONART/RELGIONARTART Method of propaganda used Method of propaganda used

to rally the workers.to rally the workers. Artistic style that praised Artistic style that praised

Soviet Life and Communist Soviet Life and Communist values.values.

RELIGIONRELIGION Communists aimed to Communists aimed to

replace religious teachingsreplace religious teachings

The police destroyed The police destroyed churches and synagogues; churches and synagogues; also killed leaders of all faiths also killed leaders of all faiths or sent them to labor camps. or sent them to labor camps.

EDUCATIONEDUCATION

The government The government controlled all education – controlled all education – nursery to university.nursery to university.

Students learned the Students learned the virtues of communism virtues of communism and evils of capitalismand evils of capitalism

Professors and students Professors and students who questioned who questioned Communist Leaders Communist Leaders were threatened or were threatened or arrested.arrested.

CONTROL METHODSCONTROL METHODS Police Terror Police Terror

––monitored telephone lines, read mail, planted monitored telephone lines, read mail, planted spies, and arrested/executed millions of traitorsspies, and arrested/executed millions of traitors

The Great PurgeThe Great Purge (a campaign of terror) (a campaign of terror)– It was directed at eliminating anyone who It was directed at eliminating anyone who

threatened Stalin’s power.threatened Stalin’s power.– Estimate – killed 8 to 13 million peopleEstimate – killed 8 to 13 million people

CensorshipCensorship-Stalin would not tolerate individual creativity; -Stalin would not tolerate individual creativity; wanted conformity and obedience of citizens.wanted conformity and obedience of citizens.-Government controlled all media (newspapers, -Government controlled all media (newspapers, movies, etc.)movies, etc.)

PROPAGANDAPROPAGANDA

Totalitarian states rely on Totalitarian states rely on indoctrination or indoctrination or brainwashing.brainwashing.

PropagandaPropaganda is biased or is biased or incomplete information used incomplete information used to sway people to accept to sway people to accept certain beliefs or actions.certain beliefs or actions.

Soviet newspapers and radio Soviet newspapers and radio broadcasts glorified the broadcasts glorified the achievements of communism, achievements of communism, Stalin, and his programs.Stalin, and his programs.

QUESTIONQUESTION

What kind of person would be What kind of person would be considered an ideal citizen under considered an ideal citizen under Stalin’s totalitarian regime?Stalin’s totalitarian regime?