Limitations of personal, political and religious freedoms.

Question 1

What were personal freedoms like under the tsars and communists?

Answer 1

• all controlled personal freedoms to some extent.
• people were generally allowed to exercise free will as long as it did not conflict with the interests of autocracy and totalitarian rule.

Question 2

When was the only time in Russia that people experienced political freedom?

Answer 2

• During the provisional government.
• more torment approach adopted towards grass-roots political activism.

Question 3

Why as the Orthodox Church important in Russia?

Answer 3

• It was used as a form of social control.
• The clergy were highly regarded.
• The church relief on the government for its funds.H

Question 4

How did the Bolsheviks respond to the orthodox church?

Answer 4

• considered religion to be the ‘opium of the people’.
• ‘Decree on the separation of the church from the state and school from the church.’

Question 5

What restrictions were made on the church during the civil war?

Answer 5

• Churches closed and their property confiscated..
• Anti-religous pressure groups designed to promote atheism were encouraged to form. ( the League of the Militant Godless (1925)).

Question 6

How did Stalin impose restrictions on the church?

Answer 6

• Clergy suffered during the great terror.
• By 1938, there were only 16 working orthodox churches, the number of clergy had been reduced by 60%.

Question 7

What was Khrushcevs view on religion?

Answer 7

• Believed that religious prejudices had to be erradicated to fully implement communism.
• At the Twenty-seconf Party Congress (1961) he introduces a new ‘moral code’ which was essentially a substitute for the Bible.