An Overview of the Features of the Dictatorships Which Emerged in Russia, Italy and Japan Flashcards
The Features of Dictatorships after WW1
Elaborate ideology which contained the beliefs of the regime
Had a single mass party which was led by one person rendering government useless
Opposition is eliminated or punished by force
There is an established system of terror which enables full state control
There is monopolistic control of the media which controls all forms of communication and creates public opinion through propaganda and censorship
Basic rights are eliminated or restricted such as trade unions, freedom of speech religion, travel, fair trials and voting.
Dictatorship in Japan
Factors surrounding changes in dictatorship in japan
Initially, Japan had a very stable economy as its allies relied on the natural resources they supplied. The Army had become independent of the Emperor and had a high status in society.
Hideki Tojo came to be the General due to factionalism within the Imperial Japanese Army in the 20s.
The Great Depression in 1929 hit Japan very hard, followed by apan’s limited natural resources and food which were already restricted
1931, this culminated in the Manchurian Crisis, Japan took control of Manchuria. Renamed Manchukuo. This went against the terms of the League of Nations thus leading to japans exit.
This invasion signalled the growth of nationalism and the power of radical groups in Japan.
Features on dictatorships in japan
Tojo becoming prime minister
The Army became a group of leaders in a military oligarchy supported by the Emperor as a means of solving the economic problems of Japan.
Tojo had limits to his powers as he was subject in some ways to the authority of the army and the Emperor. This is as he owed his power and loyalty to a willingness to serve both the army and the Emperor’s interests
By 1941, Tojo became Prime Minister and was nicknamed ‘the razor’ due to his intelligent and ruthless nature.
Features on dictatorship in japan
Features on Tojo ruling in the name of the Emperor
Citizens supported his rise due to his ability to bring more resources, as well as the Emperor showing his support
He promoted people personally loyal to him and exiled those whom he thought might become rivals.
Under Tojo’s rule, human rights were restricted, the economy became geared towards the state and there was fear of self-expression.
In 1940, Japan allied itself with Germany and Italy in the Tripartite Pact.
They were called the Axis Powers.
Dictatorship in italy
King Emmanuel Ill asking Mussolini to form a new Government.
In 1919, proportional representation was introduced in Italy in an attempt to democratize.
This led to Parliament being made up of many small parties with the Socialists being the largest one, and the Fascist party being formed in 1919.
The Party was accepted by the Catholic Church.
In 1922, Benito Mussolini, the founder and leader of the Fascist Party held a ‘March on Rome’ with The Black Shirts (Armed members of the Fascist Party).
This display of power resulted in King Emmanuel Ill asking Mussolini to form a new Government.
Dictatorship in italy
Mussolini initiated attacks
By 1926, Mussolini had entered his second wave of Government and initiated an attack on personal and press freedoms in the country.
Critics were attacked and forced to flee as censorship was enforced over the media.
Mussolini reorganized the Government by removing democratically elected leaders and placing himself as the head, rendering the King a figurehead.
He set up his own courts, a secret service (OVRA) to hunt political enemies and banned all other political parties and trade unions.
Dictatorships in italy - The facist party in power
What were Mussolini ideals?
‘Il Duce’ (The leader)
His form of Fascism was based in Nationalism
Was anticommunist and anti-democracy
Was not particularly racially motivated
Believed in loyalty to the state above all else
The state represents the conscience and the will of the people
He embodied this as a cult of personality. He was called ‘Il Duce’ (The leader)
Dictatorships in italy - The facist party in power
How did Mussolini control the people?
Controlled the youth through Youth Organizations such as Ballila
Controlled the media through the Minculpop which propagandized films, radio, plays and books
Introduced a new calendar in 1933 to make a fascist year
Controlled religious groups by gaining support from the Pope through the Lateran Treaty of 1929.
Leaving the LON
Mussolini invaded Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in 1935 for trade and jobs, No warning was given and Italy was able to control the region from 1935 to 1941. He wiped out entire towns and created concentration camps
Italy left the League of Nations in 1937.
Dictatorship in Russia
Stalin taking over from lenin
Russia had undergone a major change in 1917 through the Communist Revolution. Inspired by Lenin establishing a Communist State.
When Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin came into power. Stalin, unlike Lenin, was very focused on establishing Communism fast within Russia. This was done through a rule of fear, terror and propaganda.
Stalin’s two main missions were:
- To strengthen industrial input. Stalin believed Russia was trailing far behind the industrial input of other countries which he wanted to compete within the agricultural and economic industries.
- To ensure immense loyalty to the state and the leader takes root in the country,
1 - Collectivization and Dekulakization
Dictatorship in Russia
Three main ways stalin achived his goals
- Collectivization and Dekulakization
Collectivization of farms meant that farmers sold their grains directly to the Government for a set price.
They would receive wages for their work instead of selling at a market. This aimed to increase food production and decrease starvation.
Collective farms would comprise 50-100 families farming on an average of 450 hectares.
- Dekulakization
This caused a Kulak class to develop. These were farmers which would stockpile and slaughter livestock.
This went against the strategy of collectivization and so Stalin aimed to eliminate them.
This was called dekulakization and led to major starvation and famine with 3 million deaths in 3 years.
2 - Suppression of Religion
Dictatorship in Russia
Three main ways stalin achived his goals
Stalin aimed to have the people subordinate by them having no affiliation to any organization other than the state.
This connected to an idea of a homogenous society where people did not believe in any power greater than Stalin himself.
There were 5 - 6 million Jews in Russia, and like the Catholics and the Muslims, they were persecuted. The suppression of religion included religious texts which were destroyed.
3 - Cult of personality
Dictatorship in Russia
Three main ways stalin achived his goals
Stalin created a strong image of himself as a brilliant leader. This was very successful in aligning him with every positive aspect of life in Soviet Russia.
He was prominent in newspapers such as Pravda which referred to him with phrases such as ‘man of steel’, ‘universal genius’ and ‘shining sun of humanity’.
This caused the public to adore him immensely, as he would finish speaking in crowds they would erupt into applause.
Schools were instructed to reteach history in a way that exonerated Stalin. However, as he increased his cult of personality he became more paranoid, and so was constantly creating more opportunities for people to worship him.
This included the spreading of his picture all over the Soviet Union creating a god-like figure for people to admire.
4 - 5 Year Plans
Dictatorship in Russia
Three main ways stalin achived his goals
Stalin created a series of three 5 year plans to create a self-sufficient industrialized state by 1939.
These were meant to stabilize Russia’s economy and were socialist in principle.
The targets were set to increase the production of steel, coal, iron and agricultural output. These plans were mostly successful with oil output increasing dramatically.
Dictatorship in Russia
The remaining ways stalin achived his goals
- Elimination of Opposition
Early in his leadership, Stalin had begun eliminating his opposition with the Troika Assassination
- Repurposing the NKVD (Secret Police)
The NKVD became a ruthless group which executed Stalin’s every command answering to him alone.
