Dictatorships

Question 1

Russia? - Idealology

Answer 1

• left wing dictatorship
• Internationalists - not domination as Russia, want workers of world to unite to use worlds of Karl Marx
• communists in Russia anti WWI - Bolsheviks coming to power, comintern (org communist international 1919 we are the drivers of communism) Russai influncing communism around the world
• Class struggle and revolution “communist manifesto”

Question 2

Russia? - Consolidation

Answer 2

• Consolidated through legal means
• Communist party in Russia consolidates by war - built for internal conflict
• 1917 Overthrow of Prov. Govt - immediate use of violence
  
  • Most popular among workers in Moscow and St. Petersburg - thinks gives him right to take power in name of the people
  • Use violence to protect and defend gains
  • Trotsky said they’re a party that stands for civil war - expected to use violence from the beginning
• Civil War 1918-19212
  
  • 31 alt. Govts - more people die in civil war than in WWI from Russia
  • Bolsheviks get ability to destroy all opposition
  • 1.5mil people flee Russia after civil war - oftentimes intelligensia, former govt officials, skilled/knowledge
  • Set up key patterns of rule learnt to run a country through winning a civil war - terror, censorship etc (prisons, alt. Papers banned)
  • Stalin learns to be a politicians while runnings
  • Win b/c stronghold is industrial centres of Moscow and St. P
• NEP 1921
  
  • Relaxed control of the economy (the agrarian economy, not the industrial economy)
    
    • Deal with famines etc - tax peasant farmers rather than give ALL grain

Question 3

Russia? - Maintaining Power

Answer 3

Methods used to defend and strengthen position

• Repression
  
  • Use of forced labour camps
  • 179,000 inmates in Soviet labour camps in 1930 - Stalin changes name
  • By 1940 becomes 2.5 million people in Gulag
  • Indicates becoming reliant on repression
• Propaganda
  
  • 85% people claim to be Orthodox Christian
  • Propaganda is anti-religious
  • Stalin a safe military leader in time of uncertainty - cult of personality
  • Also free education - poor people can learn to read and be educated in process

Question 4

Russia? - Impact on Society

Answer 4

• Economy
  
  • Command from 1917, Collectivisation and Five-Year Plans (from late 1920s)
  • No private property - very different to Germany, Italy, Japan
• Religion
  
  • Aggressively destroying traditional power of Orthodox Church - arrest priests, take control of church buildings
• Women
  
  • Experimental policies e.g. Zhenotdel department within CCCP run by women and promoting rights of women in this new society
    
    • inc. free daycare centres
    • Different to fundamental conservatism of Italy and Germany
  • Mix of ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’ as Stalin reverses some of that in 1930s - but still paid maternity leave for 16 weeks
  • Encouraging active participation in workplaces (fundamentally different to Nazi Germany)
• Youth
  
  • Increase in spending on education under Stalin. Definitely elevates peasantry, gives Stalin appeal because gives
  • Komsomol akin to Hitler Youth

Question 5

Italy? - Ideology

Answer 5

• Mussolini former socialist
• More diverse than Soviet Marxism
• Emphasises heroic leadership of charismatic individuals (Il Duce Mussolini) - the appetite for a strongman in this period
• Glorifying Italy’s ancient past and national rebirth (revolutionary nationalism)
  
  • Embarrassed in WWI and also walks away with little from Paris Peace Conf.
• Enthusiasm for violence, struggle, and war from ex-soldiers as early
• Criticism of BOTH liberal democracy (soft) AND communism (violent and chaotic)

Question 6

Italy? - Consolidation

Answer 6

• No revolution in Italy
• Exploitation of political crises
• 1922 March on Rome, Mussolini handed power by the KIng - to form coalition govt
  
  • not a dictator but a WEAK PM in 1922
• Matteotti Affair 1924
  
  • Murder of socialist who heavily critiqued M
  • Leads to Socialists walking out of parliament
  • Gets support from Catholic Church b/c worried about Communism
• Allows for expansion of power 1924-5
  
  • Own control of Fascist party tightened - purges 60,000 members
    
    • Gets rid of the MOST radical members cv. Bolsheviks who become more radical early on
  • Increases prime ministerial power
• *Bolsheviks more aggression than concession of Mussolini
  
  • Less powerful than Stalin b/c consolidation is more cautious

Question 7

Italy? - Maintaining Power

Answer 7

• Propaganda
  
  • Cult of Personality
  • Shape how young people think about themselves and in relation to the government
  • Radio Bari - calling people to fascism in Nth Africa

Question 8

Italy? - Impact on Society

Answer 8

• Economy
  
  • Many large businesses and wealthy landowners remain
  • Rocco Law 1926 covering 7 main areas of economy
• Religion
  
  • Realises Catholic Church too influential in Italy.
  • 1929 Lateran Accords designed to accommodate current Vatican City
  • But means Church not critical of Fascists
  • Awkward r/ship but very different dynamic to Bolsheviks
• Women
  
  • Wages Law of 1927 - made paying women more than 50% of man’s wage illegal - we do NOT want you to deal with public sphere of work

Question 9

Japan? - Idealology

Answer 9

• Military tensions with govt in 1920s
  
  • Taisho democracy
    
    • Corruption?
    • Undermining traditional Japanese values? Rural disaffection?
    • Restriction on Japanese expansion
• Expansionism
  
  • Strong, authoritarian government to deal with increasing appeal of socialism among agrarian workers
  • Economic expansion through military conquest e.g. Manchuria 1931 (China, industrial province)
• Emperor Hirohito
  
  • Hideki Tojo

Question 10

Japan? - Consolidation

Answer 10

• Taisho Democracy 1920s
• Industrial + military strength, prosperous cities
  
  • Rural areas begin to suffer + inequality
    
    • Falling rice + silk prices. Stats/evid.?
    • GD = Exports collapse + economic crisis
• 1920s anti-democratic trends
• Manchuria 1931/China 1937
  
  • Becomes big colony of Japan
  • Huge, mass invasion of China
  • Increasing influence
  • 20-22 million people died under Japanese invasion of China in 8 year period
  • Move to total war - requires tighter control i.e. dictatorship
• Terrorism 1932
• Last elected PM assassinated, from then on appointment by emperor and influential military figures

Question 11

Japan? - Maintaining Power

Answer 11

• Tokko the secret police
  
  • Arrests peak in 1933 with 14,000 arrests approx but steep drop-off
• Propaganda - based on empire
  
  • Loyalty to Emperor
  • Claimed to be civilising the people in Manchuria

Question 12

Japan? - Impact on Society

Answer 12

• Economy
  
  • mobilised for war esp. After 1937
  • General Mobilisation Law 1938
• Youth
  
  • Worship of emperor
  • Sacrifice self for empire