Chapter 15 - The development of the Stalin cult 1929-1941 Flashcards
What cult of personality did Stalin promote in the 1920s?
The cult of Lenin, with Stalin as his ‘humble successor’
When was the Stalin cult fully established?
After 1933
When did the Stalin cult reach its height?
After WWII
When did the Stalin cult grow noticeably?
After his 50th birthday celebrations in December 1929
Leading Party members wrote articles praising him in Pravda
What was Stalin portrayed as?
AN INFALLIBLE LEADER
Described as ‘all-knowing’ and a ‘universal genius’
A SURE GUIDE
He knew how to lead the USSR forward despite dangers on all sides (‘the Great Helmsman’)
THE SUCCESSOR TO MARX, ENGELS AND LENIN
Giving the sense of a progression of great men who had brought socialist elightenment to the Soviet people
A FATHER FIGURE
Described as the ‘father of the nation’
A SEMI-RELIGIOUS LEADER
Symbolised by titles such as ‘the shining sun of humanity’
A TRUE BOLSHEVIK
Living simply with no extravagance
What were the six components of the Stalinist cult?
- Infallibility
- Relationship to Lenin
- Propaganda
- Patronage
- Tsarist symbolism
- Falsification of history
Infallibility
The cult portrayed Stalin as an ‘all-knowing’, infallible leader
Relationship to Lenin
The cult portrayed him as the heir to Lenin, transferring features of the Lenin cult to Stalin
Propaganda
Paintings, poems, posters, slogans and sculptures glorified Stalin, while written works were dedicated to him and prefaced with acknowledgements of his genius
Patronage
Stalin’s inner circle were associated with the cult too, with cities and factories named after them
Tsarist symbolism
The cult borrowed from the ‘little father’ image associated with the tsars (the belief that the tsar cared for all his people as he was like a father to them)
Falsification of history
Stalin’s role in the pivotal events of Bolshevism was enlarged, while his rivals were downplayed, reimagined as enemies of the people, or excised from books and photos completely
What was Stalin’s view on literature and the arts?
They were only valuable if they supported his view of socialist ideology
Changes in 1932
- All writers had to belong to the Union of Soviet Writers
- All artists and art critics had to belong to the Union of Artists
- Similar unions for musicians, film-makers and sculptors
Who laid down the frame of reference for writers?
Andrei Zhdanov in April 1934 at the first Congress of the Union of Soviet Writers
What was the frame of reference for writers?
Socialist realist works were expected to glorify the workers, especially communities working together and embracing new technology. Works were expected to be uplifting and optimistic
What did the unions dictate?
What sort of literature and art were allowed
Anyone not following the guidelines risked expulsion
What was the consequence of being excluded from the unions?
No chance of their work being published, exhibited, performed or paid for
What were socialist realist works expected to depict?
What Soviet life was moving towards in an ideal future
By depicting the ‘socialist reality’ of the future, people would want to strive towards it
What was there a renewed interest in in the 1930s?
Russian works from the 19th century which were promoted to all the peoples of the USSR.
This was partly to allow Soviet proletarians access to what had been bourgeois culture under tsarism
What other types of art were also celebrated?
Folk music and dance, and peasant arts and crafts
Stalin was committed to promoting ‘national’ values
What was Soviet propaganda seen as?
A way of educating Soviet workers and peasants about the ‘truths’ of Stalinism and the importance of building socialism
Who was Pavlik Morozov and why is he significant?
He was portrayed as a hero for denouncing his father to the NKVD for helping kulaks, and also for reporting that other peasants had been hoarding grain. He was then murdered by local kulaks
Soviet propaganda portrayed him as a martyr and his example was used to encourage young people to put the state first, even over their families
Propaganda in early life
- Nurseries and schools full of messages about the glories of communism
- Pictures of Stalin and Lenin prominent
- Communist youth groups
- Textbooks and lessons glorified Soviet achievements
What is an example of propaganda in education?
The use of History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union: Short Course
- Edited by Stalin
- All students had to read it and use it in their work as the source of answers to all important questions
- Ambitious Party members learned it by heart
What did the Stalinist campaigns depend on propaganda to create?
A buzz of enthusiasm, aspiration and national pride
e.g. the 5YP’s relied heavily on propaganda
What did propaganda for workers mainly focus on?
Worker-heroes such as Stakhanov
What did propaganda for workers aim to do?
Inspire workers to out-perform their targets
What is an example of propaganda for workers?
Statues of workers and peasants were erected e.g. the 24.5m high ‘Worker and Kolkhoz Woman’ by Vera Mukhina produced for the World Trade Fair in Paris
Worker-heroes appeared in books, art and film
What are some other ways propaganda was spread?
Posters and murals were widely displayed showing achievements of the Soviet state or warnings of the USSR’s enemies
Fictional films and newsreels gave a similar message
How did the percentage of collectivised households change when enforced collectivisation was briefly relaxed in 1930?
It dropped from 50% to 20%
What is an example of propaganda not working for collectivisation?
Despite a huge propaganda campaign, may peasants resisted the process by slaughtering their livestock
What is an example of propaganda not working for workers?
The Communist Party archives contain many examples of letters from workers expressing their anger at:
- the lack of adequate housing
- there being nothing to buy in the shops
- the corruption
- favouritism and bribery they saw amongst their managers at work
What is an example of propaganda not working for the 5YPs?
Jokes, graffiti and popular songs criticised the 5YPs
e.g. one song talked about ‘The Five Year Plan in Ten’ rather than the propaganda line of ‘The Five Year Plan in Four’
