Control of the people under Stalin Flashcards
1
Q
Mass media?
A
- Use media consolidate + preserve own power by undermining his opponents, hiding failures policies + promoting success
- Mid 1920s = Stalin works of political rivals e.g. Trotsky, Kamenev, Zinoviev purged from libraries
- Writings by Lenin edited remove passages complimentary to his opponents + emphasis closeness of Stalin’s rel
Edited + published 2 books about history Soviet Union in 1938, rewrote history highlight Stalin’s role in the rev - Banned publication bad news e.g. natural disasters, industrial accidents or even bad weather = USSR place where only good stuff happens
- 1928 = Glavlit controlled media access to economic data = failures economic policy could be covered up
2
Q
Propoganda?
A
- ‘Cult of Stalin’ = more extensive than Lenin’s + Stalin more comfortable with idea developing cult around himself
- ‘Myth of two leaders’ = October revolution and CW mastermind jointly by Lenin and Stalin. Altered photographs + his publication of two histories
- WW2 = Stalin portrayed as fearless military leader + tactile genius responsible for defeating Germans. Referred to as Generalissimo + pictured military uniforms
- Propaganda referred Stalin as Vozhd = Russian word for leader. Not official title, but create impression Stalin’s power extended
- Idea as natural heir to Lenin + carrying on legacy e.g. Grigory Shegals’ painting, ‘Leader, teacher, Friend’ Stalin pictured in front bust of Lenin
3
Q
Religion?
A
- Took pragmatic approach i.e. only attacking when disrupted his policies
- Closed Russian Orthodox during Collectivization as assisting peasants hide grain
- Religious minorities often challenged Stalin’s political authority so he set targets no. people he wanna purge e.g. Jahid and Sufri Muslim groups attacked. 1936, Sufi groups virtually eliminated in Turkestan
- Approach changed during WW2 - religion have power inspire people in way communism could not. Granted
- Russian Orthdoox leader Metropolitan Sergey official residence in Moscow, re-opened 414 churches + promise end censorship of religious publications
- Result of Stalin’s concessions, Rus Orthodox priesthood expanded from 9,254 in 1946 to 11,827 by 1948
4
Q
Terror?
A
- secret police called NKVD in January 1934 - initially led by Yagoda, who arrested Zinoviev + Kamenev. Yagoda not extreme enough, replaced by Yezhov in 1938
- Organised ‘show trials’ where rivals forced to stand public trials for crimes often made up. Victims not given chance defend themselves + usually led to execution e.g. Trial of 16 in 1936 led deaths of Zinoviev, Kamenev + 14 of their supporters. Don’t challenge Stalin!
- Stalin controlled secret police (authority act outside law) = used conduct frequent ‘purges’ of opponents. During Great terror, 1935-1938, Stalin ordered deaths of 10 mil people. Approx 10% male pop. Removed many threats.
- Purged Red Army of many who worked under command of Trotsky e.g. 8 senior generals executed secret trial in 1937 and 37,000 officers purged immediately after. Greater personal control over Red army.
5
Q
Culture?
A
- Critical influence foreign culture i.e. American fashion and music. Argued Jazz and flapper style encouraged sexual prmisicumity + scret police break up Jazz parties.
Avant-Garde became less influential as felt workers did not understand it - 1932 = Stalin encouraged development new style of art called ‘Socialist Realism’. Aimed build strength of socialism in Russia by creating art gave straightforward depiction of socialist version of reality
- Use promote policies e.g. 5yr plans celebrated by Gustav Klutsin in painting, in the storm of the third five year plan, heroic depiction of miners at work. Collectivisation celebrated by Adivankin in painting Voting to expel the Kulak from the collective farm
-Limited dissent from artists under Stalin. Mostly did by
celebrating Lenin, rather than Stalin e.g. Vertov did this in the 1934 film trilogy Three songs about Lenin. Stalin barely mentioned in his films.
