Case Study: Stalinist Russia

Totalitarianism: A gov’t that takes total, centralized, state control over every aspect of public and private life (mass comm.) Gave ppl a sense of security + direction Requires a strong, dynamic leader Uses secret police to get rid of opposition + spread fear Control of mass communication. VERY different from Western Gov’ts Celebration of individuality, freedom, reason, + human dignity Totalitarianism uses: Terror, indoctrination, propaganda, censorship + persecution

Police in a totalitarian state: Spy on citizens (secret police) Enforce the central gov’ts policies Use intimidation, brutality, and even murder, to enforce the gov’t policies

Totalitarian states rely on indoctrination: Brainwashing of citizens to mold their minds in the beliefs of the gov’t Done thru the control of education Glorify the leader + his/her policies to convince all citizens that total loyalty is required Best started when children are very young

Totalitarian states use propaganda: Bias information used to sway ppl to accept certain beliefs or actions Done thru control of mass media Censorship as well… Everything needs to get approval of the gov’t Art, literature, film, music etc If someone protests censorship or challenges information spread = imprisoned/killed

Persecution: Totalitarian leaders create “enemies of the state” to blame for things that go wrong These groups are subject to terror or violence Often forced to live in segregation, special rules

DepressionStarvation and Misery A need for leadership and change A need for someone to blame for everything (scapegoat) A need to feel pride again People support a charismatic leader One person takes control Totalitarian Dictatorship

Stalinist Russia

Stalin sought to transform the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state Had to achieve all the components of totalitarianism to do so… Censorship Persecution Indoctrination Police terror

Stalin created a police state to maintain power Used secret police to crush opposition Armed police w/ tanks to stop riots Police monitored phone lines + read mail Arrested + executed millions of “traitors”

: The Great Purge Stalin turned into the Communist party + directed terror at anyone who threatened his power Eliminated other Bolshevik leaders: 1000s stood trial + most executed or sent to labor camps 8-13 million deaths By 1938 Stalin complete control + influence over the Communist Party

Stalin’s gov’t controlled all: Newspapers, films, radios, art Made sure they all glorified the achievements of communism, Stalin, and his programs Stalin used the arts for propaganda + to connect to the public

Indoctrination  Gov’t controlled education from preschool to college Learned the virtues of the Communist Party Stressed hard work + sacrifice to build up the Communist state If professors/students questioned the CP they risked losing their jobs or imprisonment State created youth groups to help train future party members

Communists sought to completely replace religion w/ teachings of communism Stalin created the League of the Militant Godless Group of atheists to spread propaganda that attacked religion Russian Orthodox Church was Stalin’s main target of persecution Religious leaders were either killed or sent to labor camps Police destroyed churches

1928: Stalin started plans to overhaul the economy Wanted to install a command economy: System in which the gov’t makes all economic decisions Leaders determine what the economy needs + how to fulfill them Several 5 Year Plans…

Stalin’s first Five-Year Plan to stimulate the economy focused on industry Set impossibly high quotas (goals) to increase outputs of steel, oil, and electricity To meet the quotas: Gov’t limited production of consumer goods like housing, food, + clothing Ppl faced serious shortages in all of these BUT Stalin did create a great deal of industrial growth

1928: USSR gov’t seized over 25 million privately owned farms Combined them into collective farms: Large gov’t owned farms Families worked on the farms producing food for the state Peasants fought when gov’t took their land Stalin killed as much as 10 million ppl during this Agricultural Revolution By 1938: 90 % of peasants lived on collective farms Huge upswing in production

Ppl became more educated, women roles expanded b/c everyone “equal” Some educated as skilled workers to avoid collective farming BUT at a great cost: severe restrictions on freedom, shortages of food + consumer goods

Bolshevik Rev declared men + women = Stalin needed women in labor force Part of his Five Year Plans: Free child care for working mothers Women performed same jobs as men BUT Were still required to manage the home and raise loyal, obedient, citizens of the Communist Party

By mid-1930s Stalin transformed the SU into an industrial + political power Did so forcefully!