cult of personality Flashcards
stallin cofp - success
second world war success - used to emphasis his role as military leader -> from 1941 presented as ‘Generalissimo’)
Ideological control - presented as a visionary who was leading the way to socialism -> ‘Lenin of today’
Consolidation of power -> manipulation of history -> suggest Lenin + stalin led revvolution together since 1917 -> from early 30s photographs altered and histories written stressing stalins role and the treachery of former leaders i.e Trotsky -> presented Stalin as the leader with ultimate authority ‘vozhd’
stallin cofp - failure
fear> genuine support
stalin cofp - change
Shift from Leninism
Change in use of personal power -> Stalin’s cof P -0> created a more authoritarian leadership -> compared to lenins collective leadership
stalin cofp- continuity
Propaganda (esp. Use of Lenin) -> Lenin from 1918 presented as a prophet who was leading Soviet ppl to better future -> Stalin was presented as ‘lenin of today’
Military success
Khrushchv cofp - success
De-stalinisation = initial support
‘Drropped images of stalin (1954-65)
Symbolic achievements
Disciple of lenin -> completing lenin journey
Responsible for new success in soviet space programme, and rising harvests virgin land scheme
Respected stateman -. Us negotiations
Hero WW2
Authority of lit art and science industry, and agr.
Great reformer
Khrushchv cofp - failure
Lack of public respect
Much smaller scale volt
Caused by Policies undermine his image = inconsistent i.e corn campaign + wildly optimistic promises out produce usa
See k as unsuitable to govern
khrushchv cofp- change
Rejection of stalinism/de-stalinisation
Shift in propaganda focus -> own image not used as widley as stalins had in 1928-53
khrushchev - continuity - cofp
Continue Lenins vision
Cof p present K as a disciple of lenin who was completing the journey lenin
Use of propaganda
Military success
Brezhnev - cofp - success
Provide sense of stability
Portrayed as dedicated to ensuring world peace through detente
A true man of the people, who began career in steel
industry -> biography humble origins + engineer in steel industry
Brezhnev - cofp - failure
Cult led to ridicule
Brezhnev clearly a privileged bureaucrat not great revolutionary -. Disbelief at claims of beig a ‘hero’ -> promoted to marshal of red army and received 60 medals-> stalin had been respected and feared B -> ridicule
Brezhnev - cofp change
stalin had been respected and feared B -> ridicule
Brezhnnev - cofp - continuity
Continuation of Marxist-Leninist
Soviet propaganda -> great leninist who continued lenin’s work
Propaganda (but less effective)
Military success -> military hero who had fought braverly WW2
Continue K -> rarely referring to stalin
