TOTALITARIANISM Stalinist Russia n After Lenin died there

TOTALITARIANISM Stalinist Russia n After Lenin died, there was a power struggle for control of the Communist Part. n Stalin, Lenin’s successor, transformed the government and country by controlling every aspect of citizen’s lives.

BUILDING A TOTALITARIAN STATE Stalin Focuses on Perfecting Communism in Russia n Totalitarianism – a government that takes total control over every aspect of public and private life. n This form of government goes against the democratic values of freedom, human dignity, and the worth of the individual. n Stalin transformed the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state to realize his vision.

COMMAND ECONOMY Stalin Seizes Control of the Economy n Stalin’s economic policies involved total state control. n Command Economy – a system in which the government makes all economic decisions. n Under this system, political leaders identify the country’s economic needs and determine how to fulfill them.

LARGE NEED FOR CHANGE n Stalin announced, “We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it or we shall be crushed. ” n Country would take drastic steps to promote rapid industrial growth and to strengthen national defense.

INDUSTRIAL POLICIES n Impossibly high quotas, to increase the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity. n The government limited the production of consumer goods. – severe shortages of housing, food, clothing, and other necessary goods. n The government chose the workers, assigned them jobs, and determined their working hours – Needed police permission to move

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES n In 1928, the government seized over 25 million privately owned farms in the Soviet Union. n It created collective farms – large government owned farms that each had hundreds of workers producing food for the state. n Stalin used terror and violence to force peasants to work on the collective farms (between 5 to 10 million peasants were killed).

ART/RELGION ART n Method of propaganda used to rally the workers. n Artistic style that praised Soviet Life and Communist values. RELIGION n Communists aimed to replace religious teachings n The police destroyed churches and synagogues; also killed leaders of all faiths or sent them to labor camps.

EDUCATION n The government controlled all education – nursery to university. n Students learned the virtues of communism and evils of capitalism n Professors and students who questioned Communist Leaders were threatened or arrested.

CONTROL METHODS n Police Terror –monitored telephone lines, read mail, planted spies, and arrested/executed millions of traitors n The Great Purge (a campaign of terror) – It was directed at eliminating anyone who threatened Stalin’s power. – Estimate – killed 8 to 13 million people n Censorship -Stalin would not tolerate individual creativity; wanted conformity and obedience of citizens. -Government controlled all media (newspapers, movies, etc. )

PROPAGANDA n Totalitarian states rely on indoctrination or brainwashing. n Propaganda is biased or incomplete information used to sway people to accept certain beliefs or actions. n Soviet newspapers and radio broadcasts glorified the achievements of communism, Stalin, and his programs.

QUESTION n What kind of person would be considered an ideal citizen under Stalin’s totalitarian regime?