The Rise of Stalin Lenin dies; Stalin takes over.

How’d he get the job??? Changed his name to “man of steel” Lenin wasn’t so fond of Stalin  “I’m not sure that he always knows how to use the power with sufficient caution.” Became general secretary of the Communist Party (2 years before Lenin dies) Put his supporters into office by 1924 Had total power by 1928

What is totalitarianism? Totalitarianism: “a government that takes total, centralized state control over every aspect of public and private life.” Communism: “a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.”  OR “a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.”

Weapons of Totalitarianism Police Terror  Force obedience, stop opposition Monitor phone lines Read mail Informers Children tattle on parents Secret police

Weapons of totalitarianism cont. Indoctrination/Propaganda  Instruction in the government’s beliefs  Propaganda: “biased or incomplete information used to sway people to accept certain beliefs or actions” Censorship  No individual creativity allowed  Government controlled all newspapers, motion pictures, radio and other sources of information Religious Persecution  Goal was to replace religion with ideals of communism  Museums of atheism created  Targets: Russian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholics, and Jews

Great Purge… A campaign of terror  Anyone who threatened Stalin’s power  Quotas of “criminals”  Punished for minor issues  8-13 million people killed