The USSR The USSR Under Stalin:Under Stalin:Nature of the Nature of the Soviet State, Soviet State, Propaganda, Propaganda,

Cult of Cult of PersonalityPersonality

IB HistoryIB History

Soviet Soviet GovernmentGovernment

Communist Communist PartyParty

Democratic CentralismDemocratic Centralism

In TheoryIn Theory Village soviets elected by Village soviets elected by

working peopleworking people Day-to-day admin by Day-to-day admin by

executive committeeexecutive committee Appointed by sovietsAppointed by soviets

Delegates sent to higher Delegates sent to higher bodiesbodies Local -> District -> Province Local -> District -> Province

-> All-Russian Congress -> -> All-Russian Congress -> Central Executive Central Executive Committee -> SovnarkomCommittee -> Sovnarkom

In RealityIn Reality Sovnarkom made all Sovnarkom made all

decisionsdecisions Politburo influenced & Politburo influenced &

eventually replaced eventually replaced SovnarkomSovnarkom

Decisions passed down Decisions passed down to local levels to be to local levels to be carried outcarried out

Soviet Soviet GovernmentGovernment

15 – 20 members, key decisions, less important as Politburo took more control

Elected by Congress, Oversaw government, actually had little power

Elected by city & provincial soviets, supreme law-making authority

Elected by local & district soviets, Moscow & Leningrad dominated, carried out policy decisions

Elected locally, carried out policy decisions, direct contact for people

Communist Communist PartyParty

~7-9 members, chosen by Central Committee, Met daily, Ultimate decision-making body

~40 members, chosen from level below, debate & vote on key party issues but became increasingly irrelevant to Politburo

Chosen from level below, debate & vote on main issues

Chosen from level below, sent delegates to Congress, Party secretaries often very powerful at this level

Base unit, people often joined for benefits: jobs, election to soviets, consumer goods, extras

Relationship of Government to PartyRelationship of Government to Party

Key officials in government were Key officials in government were members of Communist Partymembers of Communist Party E.g., Politburo members often held high E.g., Politburo members often held high

government positionsgovernment positions Over time, government bodies became Over time, government bodies became

instruments for carrying out policies instruments for carrying out policies made by Politburomade by Politburo

The further from Moscow the more The further from Moscow the more independent the local partiesindependent the local parties

ACTIVITY:ACTIVITY:

In the next few slides there are Propaganda posters.In the next few slides there are Propaganda posters.Look at the posters and try to guess what they want Look at the posters and try to guess what they want you to think, feel or believeyou to think, feel or believe..

Stalin’s Care Creates a Wonderful ChildhoodStalin’s Care Creates a Wonderful Childhood

Learn the great path of Lenin’s and Stalin’s Party!’Learn the great path of Lenin’s and Stalin’s Party!’

Talking too much – helping the enemy!’Talking too much – helping the enemy!’

‘‘Each day we live happier!’Each day we live happier!’

‘‘Love your motherland!’Love your motherland!’

‘‘Hail to the powerful air force of the country of socialism’Hail to the powerful air force of the country of socialism’

With the guidance of Great Stalin – Forward to Communism!With the guidance of Great Stalin – Forward to Communism!

Thank you to the Party, Thank you to our Dear Thank you to the Party, Thank you to our Dear Stalin for a joyful and happy childhood.Stalin for a joyful and happy childhood.

Were Soviet culture and society transformed by the Oct. Revolution?1 Soviet Russia had the most liberal divorce and abortion laws in Europe,but generally they worked against women. Childcare was to become the collective responsibility of the state; but 7-9 million children homeless.2Alexandra Kollontai was the only woman among the leading Bolsheviks, and the impact of her radical feminist ideas was limited.3The Bolsheviks believed in mass art that had to serve the new state. Some avant-garde artists were initially attracted to the regime but the relationship soured as political control increased.4Lenin was especially keen on the cinema and Eisenstein was an outstanding film-maker, but political control curbed his freedom later on.5Education was an essential element in building socialism but schools in the 1920s were not one of the Bolsheviks’ successes.6 The campaign to liquidate adult illiteracy had a higher success rate.•The Bolsheviks were aggressively atheistic and over 8000 believers were killed in the anti-Church campaign of 1922. However, religious belief persisted, especially amongst the peasants

What is a ‘Cult of Personality’?What is a ‘Cult of Personality’? Undeserved or excessive Undeserved or excessive

admiration for a personadmiration for a person Created via excessive Created via excessive

praisepraise Government uses of mass Government uses of mass

media to create larger-media to create larger-than-life public imagethan-life public image Can be led by a specific Can be led by a specific

leader (Stalin)leader (Stalin) Can be done after death of Can be done after death of

a leader (Lenin)a leader (Lenin)

The Lenin CultThe Lenin Cult

‘‘Lenin Lived,Lenin Lived,

Lenin Is Alive,Lenin Is Alive,

Lenin Will Live’Lenin Will Live’

Body preserved in mausoleumBody preserved in mausoleum Every city has Lenin statueEvery city has Lenin statue St Petersburg renamed LeningradSt Petersburg renamed Leningrad Many children named after LeninMany children named after Lenin Thousands join party in Lenin Thousands join party in Lenin

enrolmentenrolment

Cult of PersonalityCult of Personality

Stalin links Stalin links himself to Leninhimself to Lenin FuneralFuneral PhotographsPhotographs

Many doctoredMany doctored PropagandaPropaganda

Cult of Cult of PersonalityPersonality

Stalin seen everywhereStalin seen everywhere RoadsRoads PostersPosters Pictures on every wallPictures on every wall Even projected image into Even projected image into

night skynight sky Worshiped by PeopleWorshiped by People

Their ‘god’Their ‘god’ Myth persists today even Myth persists today even

thoughthough Kruschev denounced Kruschev denounced

Stalin’s purgesStalin’s purges Cities, factories renamedCities, factories renamed

E.g., Stalingrad to VolgogradE.g., Stalingrad to Volgograd

Socialist RealismSocialist Realism

The ideological philosophy that guided Soviet literature and the arts after 1934, all creative writing and art had to celebrate the achievements of the proletarian in his struggle to make a contribution to the Soviet achievement.

Cult of PersonalityCult of Personality

One of Stalin’s One of Stalin’s speeches was speeches was published on recordspublished on records One side of record One side of record

contained speechcontained speech The other side The other side

contained nothing but contained nothing but applauseapplause

Cult of PersonalityCult of Personality

Stalin edited his own Stalin edited his own biography:biography: ‘‘Although he performed Although he performed

the task as leader of the the task as leader of the people with consummate people with consummate skill and enjoyed the skill and enjoyed the unreserved support of the unreserved support of the entire Soviet people, entire Soviet people, Stalin never allowed his Stalin never allowed his work to be marred by the work to be marred by the slightest hint of vanity, slightest hint of vanity, conceit, or self-adulation.’conceit, or self-adulation.’

Cult of PersonalityCult of Personality

At a provincial meeting At a provincial meeting there was a standing there was a standing ovation when Stalin’s ovation when Stalin’s name was mentioned, name was mentioned, and no one would sit and no one would sit down first. An old man down first. An old man finally could stand no finally could stand no longer and was first to longer and was first to sit…he was arrested sit…he was arrested the next day.the next day.

Re-Writing History – Short CourseRe-Writing History – Short Course

‘‘History of the All-Union History of the All-Union Communist Party’Communist Party’ AKA the ‘AKA the ‘Short CourseShort Course’’ 19381938

Main history course used Main history course used for all educational for all educational institutionsinstitutions Stalin closest friend & Stalin closest friend &

disciple of Lenindisciple of Lenin Trotsky called a ‘bourgeois Trotsky called a ‘bourgeois

specialist’specialist’ Other Bolsheviks demoted Other Bolsheviks demoted

to ‘enemies of the people’ to ‘enemies of the people’ or other minor rolesor other minor roles

Re-Writing History – Re-Writing History – Doctored Doctored

PhotographsPhotographs

The shop sign The shop sign ‘Watches, Gold, ‘Watches, Gold, Silver’ changed to ‘In Silver’ changed to ‘In Fight You’ll Get Your Fight You’ll Get Your Right’Right’

The red flag received The red flag received the words ‘Down the words ‘Down with the Monarchy’with the Monarchy’

Doctored PhotosDoctored Photos

Trotsky distanced from Lenin to make Trotsky Trotsky distanced from Lenin to make Trotsky appear less importantappear less important

Doctored Photos: Doctored Photos: Crowd too small Crowd too small

for Lenin?for Lenin?

• Bottom photo distributed to world media

Doctored Doctored PhotosPhotos

Multiple changes Multiple changes required as required as purges continued purges continued to execute party to execute party leadersleaders

Doctored Photos: Victims of the PurgeDoctored Photos: Victims of the Purge

Doctored PhotosDoctored Photos

Secret police leader Secret police leader executed in purges, executed in purges, and therefore and therefore removed from photo removed from photo with Stalinwith Stalin

Doctored PhotosDoctored Photos

No one should show the way for Stalin!!No one should show the way for Stalin!!

At its Height the Soviet Union:At its Height the Soviet Union:

22ndnd largest economy after the United States largest economy after the United States Largest armed forcesLargest armed forces Largest nuclear arsenalLargest nuclear arsenal Leader in space explorationLeader in space exploration But…But…

The Communist leaders had totalitarian control: The Communist leaders had totalitarian control: government, business, education, & notably the government, business, education, & notably the mediamedia

Freedom we take for granted did not exist: Freedom we take for granted did not exist: speech, religion, assembly, fair trial, etc.speech, religion, assembly, fair trial, etc.

ReligionReligion

Need to add moreNeed to add more Official religion is Official religion is

atheismatheism Churches closedChurches closed Churches used for Churches used for

other functionsother functions MeetingsMeetings StorageStorage BarracksBarracks

Cathedral of Christ the Savior (restored)Original destroyed by Stalin in 1931

EducationEducation Soviets strongly Soviets strongly

supported educationsupported education Most citizens are peasantsMost citizens are peasants Needed managers & Needed managers &

workers for new industryworkers for new industry Expanded schoolsExpanded schools Developed research Developed research

institutionsinstitutions Employed 100,000s of Employed 100,000s of

scientists, engineers, scientists, engineers, technicianstechnicians

Stressed science and Stressed science and technologytechnology

Achievements among Achievements among highest in the worldhighest in the world

The ArtsThe Arts

Control of all artistic Control of all artistic expressionexpression

Writers had relative Writers had relative freedom in 1920s as freedom in 1920s as long as they did not long as they did not criticize, but in 1930s criticize, but in 1930s they were heavily they were heavily censored & persecutedcensored & persecuted

Socialist RealismSocialist Realism Emphasized goals & Emphasized goals &

benefits of life in the benefits of life in the USSRUSSR

Culture and society in a decade of turmoil 1 The Cultural Revolution of 1928–31 coincided with industrialisation & collectivisation. It saw a return to the class struggle of the Civil War. 2 The Komsomols were particularly active in enforcing the Cultural Revolution in education and art and intensifying the attack on religion. 3 After the Cultural Revolution there was a return to traditional values in many areas of Soviet society. This is sometimes called the ‘Great Retreat’ 4 Abortion was outlawed and divorce was made harder after the introduction of the 1936 Family Code, which emphasised the value of family life. 5 In education, discipline, exams and traditional procedures were brought back.  6 Socialist Realism was the guiding principle for all artist from 1932 onwards. 7 Art was even more tightly controlled than it had been in the 1920s. Artists rose, like Brodsky, or fell, like Meyerhold, depending on how closely they followed the dictates of Socialist Realism. 8 Great writers like Pasternak were silent; lesser ones produced novels about the Five-Year Plans. 9 The Soviets were trying to produce a new type of man.10 Their success was very limited. In spite of Stalin’s terror, the Soviet people were survivors and remained sceptical.