USSR: Media, Propaganda, and Religion Flashcards
How did Lenin view the press?
As essential in advancing the revolution and maintaining Communist power.
Prior to the revolution, what had Lenin planned to do?
Close down bourgeois papers but changed his mind in order to keep power.
How did the government obtain power over the press in November 1917?
Decree on the Press in November 1917: Gave the government the emergency power to close down any newspapers which supported counter revolution.
Creating a state monopoly of advertising in November 1917: Ensured only the government could publish adverts.
Nationalising the Petrograd Telegraph Agency in November 1917: Gave the government control of electronic means of communication
How did Lenin initially deal with the papers and why did this change?
Initially Lenin only closed down papers that supported the Tsar or the Provisional Government but this developed into outlawing opposing Soviet newspapers.
How many papers had the government closed by 1921?
2000 newspapers, 575 printing presses.
What was the consequence of Lenin’s policies towards newpapers?
The party’s official paper, Pravda, became the most widely circulated paper in the Soviet Union. By 1983, Pravda had a circulation of 10.3 million. The paper of the government-controlled trade unions, Trud (Labour), had an even bigger circulation at 13.5 million.
Did Lenin approve of his ever-evolving cult?
No but he allowed it to grow as he recognised it’s importance. The cult gave the revolution a face and he became someone the people could look up to.
What new form of writing emerged around 1919-1920?
During 1919-1920, a new form of writing emerged that involved Lenin: Depicted as a humane leader, a man who refused luxury, a visionary, and a man of great power.
Why did focus on Lenin increase after August 1918?
Following an assassination attempt, Lenin was depicted as a modern-day Christ for surviving the attack.
How was art used in the initial years of the revolution?
In the initial years of the revolution, the Soviet Government collaborated with avant-garde artists to produce posters promoting revolution.
Many featured Lenin.
How did censorship function during the civil war?
Lenin’s press censorship regime continued throughout the civil war.
Victory in Civil War did lead not to increased press freedom.
Dzerzhinsky introduced Glavlit, a new organisation, designed to oversee the censorship regime.
How did Glavlit censorship work?
Glavlit censorship worked on the following grounds:
GPU put in charge of policing every publication available in the USSR.
New professional censors employed
All books were investigated for anti-Communist bias.
GPU compiled a list of banned books.
How were books censored under the NEP?
Soviet libraries purged of politically dangerous books.
“Book gulags” introduced to hold books which were banned.
How did Stalin censor libraries?
In the 1930’s, works of revolutionaries: Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky were purged from Soviet libraries.
How did Stalin censor his and Lenin’s work?
Lenin’s own works were edited to remove complimentary statements about Stalin’s political opponents.
Stalin’s work edited to remove any indication that he had previously been close to those he had purged.
From 1928, what else did Glavlit do?
They controlled access to economic data
What did Stalin do to emphasise his role in the revolution?
He rewrote Soviet history.
How did the Soviet Union present itself as a good place? (4)
Restrictions put in place to limit “bad news”
Soviet media forbidden from publishing stories about disasters, suicides, industrial accidents, even bad weather blocked.
Soviet Union was a place of good.
Reports of saboteurs were the only “bad news” available for people to view.
What happened in regards to consumer magazines under Khrushchev and Brezhnev?
Under Khrushchev and Brezhnev, magazines were encouraged to publish letters of the readers.
However, rather than praising the accomplishments of socialism, the letters often exposed long term, economic issues of the USSR.
In magazines, consumers often complained about the scarcity of consumer goods
Readers complained about male alcoholism, inequalities in the house relating to childcare and housework, even domestic violence.
How did Soviet cinema change under Khrushchev?
Soviet cinema changed under Khrushchev as part of a broader cultural thaw or liberalisation.
Many of the films focused on traditional themes such as the soviet victory in WW2.
And the Communist victory during the Civil War.
How did television evolve under Khrushchev?
Between 1960-1964, Soviet television was successful in supporting the Communist regime.
Played a major role in celebrating the Soviet Union’s success in the Space race.
In 1961 millions of people tuned into watch a five hour programme celebrating Yuri Gagarin’s space voyage.
How did film change under Brezhnev?
Kept traditional elements such as success in World War Two.
However during the same period, there were more films dealing with the working people’s lives.
Soviet film makers tended to focus on citizens in luxurious apartments, causing a spike in desire for consumer goods and fashion.
Was Brezhnev’s attempt to use TV to his advantage successful?
Partially successful:
Government were able to keep tight control of what was being broadcast about the War in Afghanistan.
Transmission of Brezhnev’s speeches were at full and he was the centre of a great deal of domestic media coverage.
However, by 1970, this tactic backfired, the camera’s showed Brezhnev as an old man who was clearly physically incapable.
Unable to make speeches.
Became confused mid sentence.
Difficulty walking.
Television voice-overs praised Brezhnev but still, viewers could see his physical incapacity for themselves.
What happened to magazines and censorship under Brezhnev?
Under Brezhnev, Soviet leaders also lost control of the print media.
KGB continued to police political publications.
Work of dissidents.
Western magazines became more publicly available in Soviet cities.
Consumer magazines like vogue.
What was the purpose of Stalin’s personality cult?
Firstly, emphasised Stalin’s legitimacy to take ownership over the Communist Party.
Stalin was fit to rule because he was carrying on Lenin’s work.
Cult created a figure that the Soviet citizens could trust and respect.
Dissatisfaction with certain aspects of Soviet life could be blamed on local leaders whilst Stalin could be trusted with control to creating a better Russia.
What was the myth of two leaders and how did it help Stalin’s personality cult?
Myth led Soviet people to believe that the October revolution, victory in the Civil War and the foundations of the USSR had been masterminded by the duumvirate between Stalin and Lenin.
Myth required Soviet history to be rewritten to place Stalin at the centre of events and remove Trotsky and other leaders from the image.
How did Stalin achieve the myth of two leaders? (3)
Publication in 1938 of two histories of the Communist Party. Both of which edited by Stalin.
Socialist Realist paintings which were created to show Stalin and Lenin working closely together.
Altering photos, removed Trotsky out of images of him with Lenin.
What is the Vozhd?
Cult of Stalin turned Stalin into a celebrated figure.
Known as the Vozhd – or The Leader.
Has no legal significance like a prime minister who is limited by law.
Stalin’s birthday became a celebrated event.
How did Stalin’s cult change after WWII?
From 1945, Stalin’s role as Generalissimo or War leader, became the focus of Soviet propaganda.
Stalin preferred the title of Marshal, he still used to it reflect his increasing emphasis as a military figure.
Before WW2, Stalin was presented as a revolutionary and a thinker.
After WW2, as Generalissimo, he was presented as a military genius.
The man who defeated Hitler.
Before WW2, wore green military top.
Following WW2, he designed his own, white uniform.
Military rank of Generalissimo was created specifically for him.
How can Khrushchev be seen as hypocritical?
After Stalin’s death, cults were a lot less powerful.
Khrushchev criticised Stalin’s cult and then formed two of his own.
