Control - Attacks On Religion Flashcards
Why was religion attacked under the Russian Communist regime? (4)
- religion was against communism, provided an alternative ideology to socialism
- Roman Orthodox Church is Tsarist, didn’t support new regime
- was wealthy and landed, so favoured conservative
- supported individualism and worship of a higher power, did not share same collective views as communism
What did Marx refer to religion as?
Opium of the Masses - provided an artificial happiness and distraction from real suffering, so people were less likely to revolutionise and fight for change
That religion was used by ruling classes to keep the wealthy down
What did Lenin refer to religion as?
‘Venereal Disease’
Why was religion a problem?
- Religion is HUGELY popular so had MASS influence
- so it threatened the control the bolsheviks had over the state and peoples mindsets
- threatened imposition of socialist ideology
What did the Bolsheviks dismiss religion as?
‘Superstitious nonsense’
Why was the Russian Orthodox Church in particular a problem
- huge popularity
- tsar was head of Orthodox Church (tsar in charge of appointment = make sure church supported tsars)
- owned huge land so supported views of landed classes and conservatives
- RICH, did not fit with communism
Early measures to limit influence of religion:
- Decree on the Freedom of Conscience
- Churches destroyed, monasteries closed
- Famine, Red Terror
- League of the Militant Godless
- Campaign against Baptisms
Decree on the Freedom of Conscience?
1918
- Orthodox Church SEPARATED from state
- privileged status lost
- stripped of land (no compensation)
- religious publications outlawed
- formal religious education banned
Destroying churches
- 1930 - 1940 = approx 30,000 to less than 500 churches
- churches destroyed or converted, monasteries closed
- 1918 - head of church PATRIARCH TIKHON under house arrest
Did treatment of churches int he Civil War and subsequent famine get worse?
So much worse -
- More attacks on churches
- stealing valuable items like art or riches to pay for food
- priests denied vote and RATIONS
Red Terror
1921-1922
- priest victims
- no vote and no rations
1923 = 28 Bishops killed, 1000 priests killed
League of the Militant Godless
1929 = propaganda campaign against religion
- launched to disprove god exists
- peasant and priest plane rides to show the God/heaven wasn’t above the clouds
- weeping icons ridiculed - public displays of fakeness
Campaigns against Baptisms and other religious rituals
‘Octoberings’ introduced to replace baptisms
New names like ‘Ninel’ or ‘Revolutsiya’ govern to children
Initial consequences of early attacks on religion:
- 1/5 of village churches operating (shows significant reduction in religion)
- surveys of peasantry in mid 1920s = 55% still actively practicing Christianity (shows failure to stamp out religion - intent)
Did have huge impact but ultimately failed
What did Stalin’s policy against religion accompany?
- policy of collectivisation
Collectivisation and anti-religious policy:
Under Stalin:
- more church closures
- village priests = kulaks so DEPORTED
- more attacks under GREAT PURGE
Religion, Stalin and the Great Purge:
- more attacks on church 1936-1939
- 1939 = only 12/163 bishops still at liberty
When did the attacks on religion die off under Stalin?
When Germany invaded the USSR in 1941:
- church supported the war effort, so the church was tollerated in the war
- provided good morale for the soldiers and people at home
- more liberal - patriarchate re-established, churches reopened, new seminaries to train priests
What was Khrushchevs view on religion?
- Fevertly anti-religious
- active repression under khruschev
When did Khrushchev launch his anti-religion campaign?
1958-59 (until removal from office in 1964)
What did Khrushchevs anti-religion policy do?
- role of priest reduced to one of spiritual advice only
- parish councils placed under Party officials - able to dismiss priests if deemed as ‘no longer needed’
- in 4 years 10,000 more churches closed
- priests harassed by secret police
Baptists and Jews also faced restrictions
Brezhnev and the church:
- after 1964, active church persecution declined
- religious persecution rumours did not go down well in the west! (affected cohesion and cooperation in foreign policy)
- SO, allowed the church to operate within ‘reason’
How was the church monitored under Brezhnev?
Council of Religious Affairs - monitored services and classified clergy members according to their loyalty to socialism
What was the church allowed to do under Brezhnev?
- stick to formal church services
- support soviet policies
- provide social facilities and help the poor
