State Control of Mass Media and Propaganda Under Lenin

Question 1

How did Lenin view the press and media?

Answer 1

As central to advancing the revolution and ensuring the Communists retained power

Question 2

How did the new government establish control of the press and media?

Answer 2

Announcing the Decree on the Press: November 1917

Decree Proclaiming Advertising a State Monopoly: November 1917

Nationalising the Petrograd Telegraph Agency: November 1917

Establishing a Revolutionary Tribunal of the Press: January 1918

Establishing the All-Russia Telegraph Agency (ROSTA): Sept 1918

Question 3

What did the 1917 Decree on the Press do?

Answer 3

It gave the government the emergency powers to close any newspapers which supported a counter-revolution

Question 4

What did the 1917 Decree Proclaiming Advertising a State Monopoly ensure?

Answer 4

That only the government could publish adverts

Question 5

What did 1917 nationalisation of the Petrograd Telegraph Agency do?

Answer 5

It gave the new government control of electronic means of communication

Question 6

What did establishing a Revolutionary Tribunal of the Press in January 1918 do?

Answer 6

With the power to censor the press; journalists and editors who committed “crimes against the people” could be punished by the Cheka. The Cheka were empowered to:
- Impose fines
- Prison sentences
- Confiscate property
- Exile offending writers

Question 7

What was the All-Russia Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) solely responsible for?

Answer 7

For distributing news

Question 8

What did Lenin initially close down? How did this change by mid-1918?

Answer 8

He initially closed down papers that supported the Tsar or the Provisional Government - by mid-1918 Lenin had outlawed opposition socialist papers as well

Question 9

How many newspapers had the Communists closed by 1921?

Answer 9

2000

Question 10

How many printing presses had the Communists closed by 1921?

Answer 10

575

Question 11

What was Pravda?

Answer 11

A Russian newspaper that served as the official organ of the Communist Party

It was founded in 1912 in St. Petersburg - Pravda originated as an underground daily newspaper for workers

It soon became the main newspaper of the revolutionary wing of the Russian socialist movement - providing a platform for propaganda and political messaging

Question 12

How did the policies introduced by the new government impact Pravda?

Answer 12

Pravda gained a much higher circulation - by the early 1920s it was one of the best selling publications in the Soviet Union

Question 13

What was the cult of Lenin?

Answer 13

The personality cult that developed around Lenin

It elevated him to a near-divine status and portrayed him as a heroic figure who was central to the success of the Communist revolution and the establishment of the Soviet state

Question 14

How did Lenin view the cult of Lenin?

Answer 14

He did not approve of it. Lenin always stressed the role of the people as the creator of history. Lenin mercilessly stigmatised every manifestation of the cult of the individual

Question 15

What is significant about January 1918 (in relation to mass media and propaganda)?

Answer 15

January 1918 saw the publication of the first photograph of Lenin

Question 16

How was Lenin perceived and treated following an assassination attempt?

Answer 16

He was described in essentially religious terms

His survival was described as “miraculous” - the emphasis on his willingness to suffer and sacrifice his life for his people made Lenin into a modern day Christ

Question 17

What was produced in 1919? (during the Civil War)

Answer 17

Statues and busts of Lenin - even though resources were scarce

Question 18

Photographs of Lenin appeared with various titles. What was one of these titles?

Answer 18

Leader of the Revolutionary Proletariat

Question 19

What emerged during 1919 and 1920?

Answer 19

A new style of writing about Lenin

Question 20

A new style of writing about Lenin during 1919 and 1920 - what did this new style entail?

Answer 20

Lenin was increasingly depicted as:
- Humane
- A man of the people
- A man who refused luxury
- A visionary
- A man of great power

Question 21

What was Lenin often photographed wearing? Why? (from 1919)

Answer 21

He was often photographed wearing a cap - it implied that Lenin was approachable and down to earth

Question 22

Why did Lenin allow the cult to grow (despite him being uncomfortable)?

Answer 22

He understood their importance

The media and propaganda focus on Lenin gave the revolution and the Communist Party a face - someone the Russian people could identify with and support

Question 23

The government collaborated with avant-garde artists in the first years of the revolution. Why?

Answer 23

To produce posters promoting the revolution

Question 24

Give an example of an avant-garde poster that featured Lenin and describe it.

Answer 24

A Spectre is Haunting Europe - the Spectre of Communism (by Valentin Scherbakov). The slogan is taken from the first line of the Manifesto of the Communist Party

The photo of Lenin is from the Russian Civil war - he is addressing his red troops. Grim and determined Lenin stands in front of a red banner pointing westward

Question 25

What was Glavlit?

Answer 25

A new organisation which oversaw a more systematic censorship regime

Question 26

When was Glavlit established?

Answer 26

1922

Question 27

What did Glavlit do?

Answer 27

• The GPU was put in charge of policing every publication available in the Soviet Union
• New professional censors were employed
• All books were investigated for anti-Communist bias
• The GPU compiled a list of banned books