TOTALITARIANISM Stalinist Russia After Lenin died, there was a power struggle for control of the Communist Part. 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 Totalitarianism – a government that takes total control over every aspect of public and private life. This form of government goes against the democratic values of freedom, human dignity, and the worth of the individual. Stalin transformed the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state to realize his vision.

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

LARGE NEED FOR CHANGE 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.” Country would take drastic steps to promote rapid industrial growth and to strengthen national defense.

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

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES In 1928, the government seized over 25 million privately owned farms in the Soviet Union. It created collective farms – large government owned farms that each had hundreds of workers producing food for the state. 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 RELIGION Method of propaganda used to rally the workers. Artistic style that praised Soviet Life and Communist values. RELIGION Communists aimed to replace religious teachings The police destroyed churches and synagogues; also killed leaders of all faiths or sent them to labor camps.

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

CONTROL METHODS Police Terror –monitored telephone lines, read mail, planted spies, and arrested/executed millions of traitors 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 Censorship -Stalin would not tolerate individual creativity; wanted conformity and obedience of citizens. -Government controlled all media (newspapers, movies, etc.)

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

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