Propaganda + Censorship Flashcards
how did the state control censorship
- controlled all media, art and music
- in USSR all state information was propaganda, including the new Constitution of 1936
5 ways in which media was censored
- Propaganda films were spread, giving false picture of everything going well
- Artists, writers, singers were employed by state –> commissioned to make the USSR glorified
- Past records were altered e.g. a photo of Lenin and Trotsky would only have Lenin in.
-
Only good economic results were published: Glavit turned economic data into propaganda.
-Books by ‘enemies’ (Trotsky) were supressed - Everything that was read or seen or listened to had to be USSR approved.
- Socialist Realism was hugely promoted : showed Soviet life in most optimistic way, designed to help ordinary people understand Socialism was achieving a better life for everyone
What happened to Soviet religion with official culture?
- All religions were put under pressure
- Muslims were attacked in southern SSRs
- All places of worship were shut down and RS was banned
What happened to Soviet education with official culture?
- New curriculums that praised Stalin were set up. School textbooks approve by state + taught in Stalin’s point of view
- Discipline was reinforced in schools by new Communist teachers
What were the positives of the New Constitution?
- The Congress of Soviets was replaced by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
- Everyone was allowed to vote
- Voting was now in secret
- Workers were guaranteed rights to holidays, healthcare, housing, education and other benefits.
- other 15 republics of the USSR were given the same rights as Russia.
What were the negatives of the New Constitution?
- There was only one party to vote for
- Workers rights could be ignored by the secret police
- republics of USSR were all controlled from Moscow by the Communist Party
- Stalin ignored the Constitution and ran the USSR as a dictatorship
What were the three main elements of the cult of Stalin?
- Stalin shown as the “Lenin of today”: portray as person who best understood Lenin’s ideas and put them into practice
- Focus on Stalin’s ‘economic achievements’: shown on posters surrounded by modern factories, successful collective farms, happy people
- Stalin shown as “Leader, Teacher, Friend”: friendly image, with happy children –> Stalin as a father figure of this generation
what were the 3 reasons for the Cult of Stalin
- Portrayed Stalin as the Perfect Leader: gave people that all hardships + sacrifices were worth it: building socialism together
- Father figure of Soviet unions + portrayal as ‘Leader, Teacher Friend’, tradition
- Gain support for regime: gain trust for government
how was the cult of Stalin achieved
Cultivated through Art, Propaganda, Literature, Re-writings of history
how was the Cult of Stalin achieved through art
Stalin’s image as ‘Leader, Teacher, Friend’ in paintings, murals, statues all over USSR
- Reimagined him as Lenin’s closest friend + the mastermind of the October Revolution / Red Civil War Victory (not Trotsky)
what were the messages of propaganda that helped achieve the Cult of Stalin
Propaganda Message : Stalin was always careful to say the Lenin, USSR and it people were more important than her was
- but Stalin still policies and reforms wereconstantly praised –> face of him everywhere, superhuman
how did books, poems and play help to achieve the Cult of Stalin
Praised Stalin’s achievements:
- Soviet History books gave Stalin leading role in key event of the Bolsheviks rise to power + Civil War
