Personality Cult

Question 1

How did personality cults strengthen the regime?

Answer 1

because they inspired personal loyalty within the population to the leader and presented them as wise, humane and benevolent

Question 2

How was the initial cult of Lenin created?

Answer 2

through the use of his image and sayings in soviet propaganda

Question 3

How was Lenin represented through his cult of personality?

Answer 3

-presented as saintly and a man who was willing to suffer for the people
-seen as modern day christ for surviving assassination attempt
-gave population someone to look up to

Question 4

What was the cult of Stalin like in comparison to Lenin’s cult?

Answer 4

it was much more extensive

Question 5

What was the purpose of Stalin’s cult of personality?

Answer 5

-to emphasise him as the legitimate leader of the soviet union because he was the ‘Lenin of today’
-meant that dissatisfaction with certain aspects of Soviet life could be blamed on local leaders as Stalin ‘could do no wrong’
-helped consolidate his own personal power

Question 6

Myth of 2 Leaders

Answer 6

where soviet history was altered and manipulated to suggest that Lenin and Stalin had led the revolution together
-it placed stalin at the centre of events stressing his major role while removing opponents like trotsky

Question 7

Vozhd

Answer 7

the leader with ultimate authority- stalin became known by this and was a celebrated figure

Question 8

Generalissimo

Answer 8

-emphasised Stalin’s role as a military leader who led the USSR to victory during WWII
-Military rank of Generalissimo was created specifically for stalin

Question 9

How did personality cults change after Stalin’s death?

Answer 9

they became much less effective

Question 10

Why was Khrushchev seen as a hypocrite?

Answer 10

because he criticised Stalin’s cult of personality then created two of his own

Question 12

How did personality cults strengthen the regime?

Answer 12

because they inspired personal loyalty within the population to the leader and presented them as wise, humane and benevolent

Question 13

How was the initial cult of Lenin created?

Answer 13

through the use of his image and sayings in soviet propaganda

Question 14

How was Lenin represented through his cult of personality? (3)

Answer 14

• presented as saintly and a man who was willing to suffer for the people
• seen as modern day christ for surviving assassination attempt
• gave population someone to look up to

Question 15

What was the cult of Stalin like in comparison to Lenin’s cult?

Answer 15

it was much more extensive

Question 16

What was the purpose of Stalin’s cult of personality? (3)

Answer 16

• to emphasise him as the legitimate leader of the soviet union because he was the ‘Lenin of today’
• meant that dissatisfaction with certain aspects of Soviet life could be blamed on local leaders as Stalin ‘could do no wrong’
• helped consolidate his own personal power

Question 17

Myth of 2 Leaders

Answer 17

where soviet history was altered and manipulated to suggest that Lenin and Stalin had led the revolution together
- it placed stalin at the centre of events stressing his major role while removing opponents like trotsky

Question 18

Vozhd

Answer 18

the leader with ultimate authority- stalin became known by this and was a celebrated figure

Question 19

Generalissimo

Answer 19

• emphasised Stalin’s role as a military leader who led the USSR to victory during WWII
• Military rank of Generalissimo was created specifically for stalin

Question 20

How did personality cults change after Stalin’s death?

Answer 20

they became much less effective

Question 21

Why was Khrushchev seen as a hypocrite?

Answer 21

because he criticised Stalin’s cult of personality then created two of his own

Question 22

Why did Khrushchev revive the Cult of Lenin?

Answer 22

to move away from Stalinism

Question 23

How did Khruschev portray Lenin in this new personality cult? (2)

Answer 23

• Lenin depicted as fun and humane.
• A person who loved children and family

Question 24

How was Khrushchev portrayed in his cult of personality? (3)

Answer 24

• as a disciple of Lenin who was completing his journey
• a WWII hero
• the great reformer who was perfecting the soviet system

Question 25

Why was Khrushchev’s personality cult a failure? (3)

Answer 25

• problems with his policies undermined the claims made about him in the media
• he strongly assosciated himself with schemes that failed e.g. virgin lands + corn campaign
• wasn’t respected as much as Lenin or Stalin

Question 26

How was Brezhnev portrayed through his cult of personality? (3)

Answer 26

• as a great Leninist who continued his work
• a military hero
• a true man of the people who began his career in steel industry

Question 27

Why was Brezhnev’s Cult counterproductive?

Answer 27

because he was clearly a priveledged bureaucrat and not a great revolutionary so people ridiculed the official claims that he was a hero

Question 28

How did the media further weaken Brezhnev’s cult of personality?

Answer 28

• his televised speeches showed that he was a physically incapable old man as he became confused mid-sentence and struggled walking

Question 29

How did Brezhnev’s cult compare to Stalin’s cult?

Answer 29

stalin’s cult allowed him to be respected and feared whereas brezhnev’s led to ridicule