Chapter 23

Question 1

What is a ‘dictatorship’?

Answer 1

A form of government which absolute power is exercised by a single person, or a very small group

Question 2

What is ‘Totalitarianism’?

Answer 2

A political system that demands absolute obedience to the state, and where individual freedoms and rights do not exist.

Question 3

3 ways terror was renewed after WW2

Answer 3

• Isolation from the outside world due to ideological contamination
• in 47’ marriages with foreigners were banned
• People were forced to show unwavering loyalty to Stalin

Question 4

What was ‘Zhdanovshchina’?

Answer 4

a cultural policy implemented in the Soviet Union after WW2
- It aimed to achieve ideological control and conformity in the field of arts and culture in the Soviet Union

Question 5

Name 2 examples of the use of the Zhdanovshchina

Answer 5

• Purging of literary works and authors who published in Leningrad, due to being ‘apolitical’ and lacking ‘socialist qualities’
• Socialist realism from the 20s and 30s was reasserted back into the norm of cinema and art; for example an author portrayed the Tsars body guards as thugs, rather than a progressive army. the author was then forced to admit their mistakes in public
• Films and arts that degraded American commercialism and uplifted soviet achievements were promoted
• Anti semitism was prevalent, with people Jewish newspapers having to closedown
• Western influence was blocked; only approved foreign books were translated into Russian, foreign radio transmissions were blocked.

Question 6

What was ‘Stalin’s cult of personality’ and name 3 examples of it

Answer 6

Stalin was portrayed as the worlds greatest living genius, equally superior in philosophy, science, military and economics.

• It became customary for the first and last paragraphs to of any academic books to acknowledge Stalin’s genius on the subject
• Despite not going to a farm in 25 years, he was seen as a ‘man of the people’
• Towns would compete with trying to rename them selves after Stalin; Stalino, Stalinsk, Stalinabad…
• Stalin prizes were used to counter the Nobel Prize
• photographs were retouched to remove imperfections from his face

Question 7

What was the ‘Leningrad affair’?

Answer 7

• High-ranking officials and cultural figures in Leningrad were accused of anti-Soviet activities and conspiring against the government.
• For example, Voznesensky who was an economist expert and a rising star in the politburo, was executed after being accused of anti soviet activities.
• By 50’, more than 2000 officials from Leningrad were dismissed

Question 8

What was the ‘Doctors Plot’?

Answer 8

A conspiracy that the doctors treating Zhdanov used sloppy methods leading to his death in 48’.
- Stalin used this conspiracy and claimed Jewish doctors who were played by Israel and USA were using their positions to abuse the USSR
- Hundreds were arrested and several were tortured