1. The Soviet Union
BIG Idea: In reality, the Soviet Union was very different from what Karl Marx wrote about.
By Sam Irving

2. Russian Revolution
Low morale during WWI caused the Tsar to abdicate in 1917.
Bolsheviks (Communists) under Lenin come to power.
In the name of the Soviets, or local workers’ counsels.

3. Civil War
Communists (Reds) vs. anti-communists (Royalists, Democrats, Moderates).
Allies and the U.S. fought with the anti-communists.
Though Lenin wins, WWI & civil war leave 27 million Russians dead and the economy ruined.

4. Soviet Flag: hammer and sickle

5. The Russian empire becomes the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U
The Russian empire becomes the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Russia dominates other republics.

6. Lenin’s Beliefs
According to Marx, who should lead the communist revolution?
Russia didn’t have much industry, thus few workers to build communism.
Lenin sought to create socialism by political force and wait for worldwide revolution.

8. Lenin’s funeral 1924

9. “Comrade Stalin has concentrated enormous power in his hands, and I am not sure that he always knows how to use that power with sufficient caution. Choose a successor more tolerant, more loyal, more polite, and more considerate to comrades.”
– Lenin 1922

11. Joseph Stalin
Succeeds Lenin as Soviet dictator.

12. Stalin’s Beliefs Build communism in a single country.
Begins rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union.
Produced heavy industry, not consumer goods.

13. Command economy: Gov. makes all economic decisions.
Created industry
Wasteful & inefficient

14. Troitsk, Russia was rapidly industrialized under Stalin’s command economy with no concern for the environment.

15. Collectivization
Large government-owned farms run by peasants as a group.
Peasants resisted
“Terror Famine”: Stalin seized all grain to crush resistance.
5-8 Million peasants starved in the Ukraine alone.

16. Stalin’s Dictatorship
Spies and secret police created a climate of fear.
All potential threats to Stalin were executed or sent to labor camps.
Forced false confessions of industrial sabotage.
Scapegoating

17. What does this poster say about Stalin’s values?

18. Who is portrayed in this Soviet propaganda poster?

19. Marxist Theory vs. the U.S.S.R.
Marx: government will wither away under communism.
U.S.S.R.: Totalitarian state: Dictatorship controlling citizens’ lives.
Marx: Classless society of equals under communism.
U.S.S.R.: Communist party bosses became the new elite.

20. Activity: Candy Command Economy
Essential Learning Target (ELT): Describe characteristics of specific economic systems and how these systems existed in different ways at different times throughout history.
Let’s compare the efficiency of command and market economies.

21. Works Cited
Farah, Mounir A., and Andrea B. Karls. World History The Human Experience. New York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, Print.
Go Comrades. Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Lenin's Body. Private collection. Web. 11 Mar <
Lenin's Funeral Private collection. Web. 11 Mar <
macrules_640, . An image from Family Guy with the Kool Aid man. Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Oh, Nooo! Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Oh Yeaahh! Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Rise higher the banner of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin ! Private collection. Web. 11 Mar <
Scary Kool Aid Man. Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Soviet Union Map. Map. Theodora. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar <
Stalin Attacks. Private collection. Web. 14 Mar <
Stalin. Private collection. Web. 11 Mar <
Stalin Propaganda Poster. Private collection. Web. 11 Mar <
Troitsk Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. Web. 4 Apr <