Control of the people under Lenin

Question 1

Mass media?

Answer 1

• Decree on press in november 1917 gave the Bolshevik government emergency powers to close newspapers that did no support the revolution
• Bolsheviks passed law stating only they could publish adverts, giving control of newspaper revenues + therefore content of papers themselves
• Bolsheviks nationalised Petrograd Telegraph Agency in November 1917, giving gov control of electronic communication
• January 1918 - Bolsheviks set up revolutionary tribunal of the Press, with power to censor press, + fine or imprison journalists that committed ‘crimes against the people’
• 1918 - Lenin outlaws all non-socialist newspapers. 1921, 2,000 newspapers + 575 printing presses shut down. War Com gave Bols power over ink + papers supplies
• Bols published own paper = Pravda: highest circulating publication in Russia by 1920s
• Post CW press censorship became more systematic i.e. in 1922 new organisation established = Glavlit. Employed professional censors, compiled list of banned books + purged libraries

Question 2

Propoganda?

Answer 2

• Key feature was ‘Cult of Lenin’ = idea use images of Lenin as personification of communist ideals as inspiration to ordinary people and ultimately strengthen bolshevik power. - Many busts + statues erected around Russia
• After Lenin survived assassination attempt in August 1918. Story of survival exaggerated for propaganda purposes. Survival described as ‘miraculous’ + used as evidence of Lenin’s willingness to suffer and sacrifice himself for Russian people. Clear attempts portray Lenin as ‘Christ-like’ savour
• 1920 - Lenin began to be portrayed as more ordinary man of people e.g. often pictured wearing simple cap, a style popular with industrial workers + made Lenin more approachable and committed to ideals of Communism
• Lenin himself disapproved of the ‘cult of Lenin’ as saw no place for heroes in socialist society. However, accepted it on basis that was necessary evil that would help strengthen fragile Bolshevik power at time

Question 3

Religion?

Answer 3

• Russia deeply religious when came power i.e. mostly Russian Orthodox Christians, but Muslim communities In Caucases + Azerbaijan, Catholics in Lithuania
• Believed freeing people from religion vital part Communist rev. = saw method of social control. Marx - ‘the opium of the masses’
• October 1917 - Decree of Land gave peasants legal right seize property from church
• January 1918 - Decree concerning separation of Church and State removed privileges enjoyed by Russian Orthodox. All property nationalised gov funding ended + religious education banned
• Terror used against Russian Orthodox - November 1917, Archbishop Ivan Kochurov murdered. January 1918 - massacre priests in Moscow. November 1918 - Politburo sanctioned mass execution of priests Terror used more sparingly against Catholics i.e. initally priests deported but post CW executions
• Initlaility no terror against Islam, as small group with no connection Tsarism. Increased persecutions in the 1920s.
• Mosques closed often turned into storage depots. Pilgrimages discouraged, shrines attacked, propaganda campaigns launched against trad dress + anti-islam musem’s opened.
• Living church in 1923 = reformed version Orthodox under control bolsheviks, so less threat

Question 4

Terror?

Answer 4

• Cited french rev as e.g. for key part com rev
  ‘Red terror’ post October revoltion and during CW
  Secret police = Cheka, under leadership of Felix Dzerkhinsky. Operated outside law hunt down/eliminate enemies with toruture/execution without trials e.g. between 1917-1923 cheka executed 200,000 people. In town of Oryol they froze bodies victims + displayed as statues
  Cheka used to forcibly close down Constituent assembly in January 1918 (democratic elections)
• Smaller scale post CW - Cheka engaged in surveillance of sus individuals i.e. former officers in Tsar army + deported suspected trouble makers e.g. authors and intellectuals
• Also monitored/policed semi-capitalist market under NEP. Regularly persecuted priests, young who danced to Jazz, women wore western clothes, private traders making too much money. Also reported to gov on morality + social inequality e.g. drunkenness and gambling
• From 1922 - Lenin ordered trials leading political opponents, social revs. Accused of treason, sabotage + plotting overthrow Bol gov. All to death, but most imprisoned + killed under Stalin

Question 5

Culture?

Answer 5

• art under communism should be by working class people encapsulating experience + concerns. This known as Proletkult = led by mainly Bukharin and in 1918 - organisation set up support Proletkult. By 1920, became major movement with 84,000 members, 300 art studios + monthly magazine = Gorn
• Lenin sus of it as believe art shld be universal reflection of human spirit, not particular class. Brought it under direct Bol control in Oct 1920 + limited funding its programs
  Lenin/Trotsky believer art can be used inspire people support - gov department, Agitprop, estab 1920 create this art e.g. El Lissitzksy’s 1918 poster ‘Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge’ + Vladimir Tatlin’s sculpture ‘Monument of the third International’. Produced by avant-garde artist + highly experimental in style i.e. bold colours + geometric shapes
• Lenin - cinema most important art form of 20th century. Post CW he encouraged develop Russian cinema which flourished in 1920s e.g. Dziga Vertov produced experimental documentary films i.e. ‘A Man with a Movie Camera’ in 1929. Sergi Eisenstien produced experimental films telling a romanticised version rise of the Bols e.g. Battleship Potemkin