How did Stalin use the cult of personality to establish and maintain control? L/O – To assess the role of censorship and propaganda in maintaining Stalinism

Origins of the Cult This started as early as December 1929. The party and the media began consciously to build up Stalin as a hero and to equate his political thinking with that of Marx and, especially Lenin (Marxist-Leninism) The newspaper Pravda called on the party and the people to unite around ‘Lenin’s most faithful and dedicated pupil and associate’. Elements of this had already emerged during the power struggle, as Stalin tried to portray himself as a true ‘disciple’ of Lenin, while branding all his opponents as ‘anti-Leninists’.

The Cult of Personality During the 1930s, a ‘cult of personality’ developed further: Stalin was portrayed as the ‘father of the nation’ who had saved the Soviet Union from its enemies, and as an expert in science and culture. Posters, paintings and statues appeared everywhere, in streets, factories, offices, schools and even in Soviet homes. The media referred to Stalin in glowing terms, such as ‘Universal Genius’ and ‘Shining Sun of Humanity’.

The Cult of Personality During the upheavals of collectivisation, the Five-Year Plans and the Great Terror, references were made to a ‘Lenin-Stalin partnership’, and it was claimed that ‘Stalin is the Lenin of today’. The photographs or faces of Stalin’s opponents who had been defeated in the 1920s were ‘airbrushed’ out, simply torn from books or blanked out with pens.

Stalin as Generalissimo After the Second World War, Stalin moved quickly to portray himself as the one who had saved the Soviet ‘motherland’ and, in June 1945, he promoted himself to ‘Generalissimo’. Many Soviet citizens did see Stalin as a national hero but, to counter any threats from the army, he encouraged this ‘cult of personality’ by making sure he took pride of place in the victory parades.

Rewriting History Another significant aspect of the cult of personality was the reinterpretation of history in Stalin’s favour. In 1938, the History of the All-Union Communist Party, or Short Course as it was usually called, was published in the USSR. Stalin was given a much more important role in the October Revolution as chief companion to Lenin, his closest friend and disciple. Trotsky was demoted to the role of bourgeoise opportunist. Other old Bolsheviks like Bukharin were relegated to minor roles. All were dwarfed by Lenin and Stalin.

A famous photo of Lenin addressing troops in 1920, with Trotsky and Kamenev

After Trotsky’s downfall, the same picture

I. Brodsky in 1933 painted the same scene.

Rewriting History The Short Course was not just another history book. It was the main history text for educational institutions across the USSR. It replaced all previous books that had pages cut out or pasted over. Stalin himself was apparently the author of the book and by 1948, it had sold 34 million copies in the USSR and 2 million abroad. Photographs were amended to support the new history. Stalin was added to photos and enemies were airbrushed. It was as if Stalin wanted them wiped from the collective memory of the period.

1.) Origins of the Cult: 1924-29 After Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin assumes a modest image and appears as a hard-working man of moderation. He takes on the mantle of Lenin’s disciple and servant of the party. ‘Stalin is the Lenin of today’ becomes a commonly used phrase. Tsaritsyn is remained Stalingrad in his honour in 1925.

2.) Cult Underway: 1929-33 For his 50th birthday in 1929, Stalin receives 350 greetings, including some from organisations that did not even exist. Stalin is portrayed as Lenin’s faithful pupil and companion-in-arms. The length of applause for Stalin at conferences gets longer. By 1931, huge portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin appear on special occasions such as celebrations of the October Revolution. A few individual portraits of Stalin.

3.) Cult fully established: 1933-39 Stalin’s image is used to reassure people that they have a strong leader to help them through the great disruption of the First Five-Year Plan and the confusion of the terror. Paintings, poems and sculpture promote the Stalin cult. Socialist Realist art glorifies Stalin’s role as leader. The History of the All-Union Communist Party is published in 1938. History is reinterpreted in Stalin’s favour. As war looms, his image becomes more that of an all-powerful leader.

4.) Height of the Cult: Post-1945 Stalin’s image is everywhere; his power cemented by his success as war leader. His childhood home becomes a shrine. Portraits now show him in god-like solitude, superior and apart. His 70th birthday celebrations are extremely elaborate, organised by 75 leading figures including the whole Politburo. There are galas and greetings every day from 21st Dec 1949 to August 1951.

Plenary L/O – To assess the role of censorship and propaganda in maintaining Stalinism Explain how Stalin used the ‘cult of personality’ to establish and maintain control