Propaganda and Censorship

Question 1

What was the purpose of the Cult of Stalin? List 5 things it did to achieve its purpose.

Answer 1

• To glorify Stalin and make him a god-like figure
• History was rewritten to bolster his greatness and downplay his enemies’
• Photos were edited to portray Stalin as close to Lenin and to remove Stalin’s enemies from them
• He had nicknames such as ‘Shining Sun of Humanity’ and ‘Universal Genius’
• Huge parades were dedicated to him
• Streets and cities were named after him

Question 2

List 3 ways in which culture was limited and controlled under Stalin.

Answer 2

• All forms of art had to be straightforward and designed for the masses
• Writers had to belong to RAPP (Russian Association of Proletarian Writers) which later became the Union of Soviet Writers in 1932
• All newspapers were carefully monitored and censored

Question 3

Why did Stalin dislike religion?

Answer 3

• It threatened his cult as people owned their allegiance to a different god

Question 4

List 5 things Stalin did to try to get rid of religion.

Answer 4

• There was anti-religious propaganda
• The ‘Society of the Godless’ destroyed churches and burned religious pictures
• Christian leaders were imprisoned (in the early 1920s there were 60,000 Russian Orthodox priests while in 1941 there were 5600)
• Mosques and Muslim schools were closed down
• Hajj was forbidden

Question 5

How many Soviet citizens admitted to being religious in 1937?

Answer 5

• Around 50 million

Question 6

When and why did Stalin allow people to be religious?

Answer 6

• In the 1930s some churches were allowed to be open for ‘freedom of conscience’
• After Hitler invaded in 1941, religion was allowed to foster unity

Question 7

What were the 3 youth groups and what ages were they for?

Answer 7

• Octobrists: 8 to 10
• Young Pioneers: 10 to 16
• Komsomol: 16 to 28

Question 8

What were the literacy rates by 1939?

Answer 8

• Urban population: 94%
• Rural population: 86%

Question 9

List 3 changes Stalin made to education.

Answer 9

• It became more technical and scientific to aid the 5 year plans
• In 1932, Stalin brought back traditional methods such as discipline and exams
• ‘Red specialists’ could replace teachers who were not members of the Communist Party

Question 10

List 4 things the constitution of 1936 promised.

Answer 10

• Secret ballots
• Elections to the Soviets every 4 years
• Universal suffrage for all over 18
• Certain civil liberties (such as freedom of speech, press, assembly and religion)

Question 11

List 4 problems with the constitution of 1936.

Answer 11

• The results could be announced before the vote
• Candidates for election had to be approved by the Party first
• Members were chosen for positions within the Party, not elected
• It was made clear that civil liberties could only be exercised with the Party’s approval