Authoritarian States and Stalin's Soviet Union Flashcards
What is totalitarianism?
Radical dictators that made “total claims” on the beliefs and behavior of their citizens
What was the traditional form of anti-democratic government in European history?
conservation authoritarianism
What is fascism?
A movement characterized by extreme, of expansionist nationalism, antisocialism, a dynamic and violent leader, and glorification of war and the military.
What is eugenics?
A pseudoscience that maintained that the selective breeding of human beings could improve the general characteristic of a national population.
Who were the leaders that followed fascism?
Mussolini and Hitler
What was the Holocaust?
The purging of Jews and other groups who were deemed “undesirable” in Germany.
What socialistic groups were sworn enemies?
Communist and Fascist
What made the communist weak as a group?
They were split in half, some people would call themselves socialists and others would call themselves self-communist.
Who launched two five-year plans?
Joseph Stalin
What were the goals of the five-year plans?
They were radical plans to transform the Soviet Union into a communist state. The ultimate goal was to generate new attitudes, loyalties, and a new socialist humanity.
Who created the New Economic Plan?
Lenin
What was the goal of the New Economic Plan?
Was a policy to re-establish limited economic freedom in an attempt to rebuild agriculture and industry in the face of economic disintegration.
Who were the Kronstadt sailors?
A group of pre-Bolshevik specialized sailors who were stationed at an island fort.
What did the Kronstadt sailors do?
They rebelled against Stalin.
Why were common people still angry after the end of the Civil War?
They did not regain any freedoms, conditions did not improve.
What political group was expected to dominate in Russia?
democratic socialist
What is war communism?
Everyone working together for the war effort. Production going to the war effort and not to be sold independently.
What is an analogy for communism?
Batteries because you are either working or you’re dead.
What are nationalized industries?
Industries controlled by the government.
What was the Third International (Comintern)?
It was a communist international group lead by Soviets.
What are the differences between Trotsky and Stalin?
Trotsky was more international and more charismatic while Stalin was more focused on Russia, was a better organizer and created a strong power base of people to support him.
What were the 21 conditions?
The 21 things other countries had to agree to in order to join the Third International.
How far was Russia behind other countries industrially?
50 to 100 years
How did Stalin work to catch up industrially?
He created a command economy and got rid of captialism.
How did Stalin reorganize agriculture?
He took the peasant’s land and combined it all to create one large farm. All crops went to the government.
Who were the Kulaks?
They were wealthy peasants who were against Stalin.
How did the agricultural workers revolt?
They burnt crops and killed livestock.
How many peasants lived on collective farms?
93% of peasants
What were some social programs in effect under Stalin’s rule?
Social security, free health care, retirement pensions, etc.
How did the role of women change under Stalin’s rule?
He limited their influence. Women could no longer vote, abortions were no longer available and divorce was harder. Stalin wanted to keep a traditional family structure but women still made up 75% of the medical field.
What was the purpose of the Great Purge?
The purpose was to eliminate those who opposed Stalin.
What was the Pravada?
A state newspaper used to spread positive propaganda for Stalin.
