Totalitarian Government in the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin, 1879-1953 Totalitarian Government in the Soviet Union

Who was worse- both had the same goals and used the same methods: all-embracing control of the individual and society by use of modern technology and bureaucracy. Both were trying to create a new order for mankind that was the opposite of the liberal democracy developed in western Europe. Hitler was responsible for the deaths of at least 12,000,000 Jews and Slavs and another 30,000,000 is you count the dead in WWII. Stalin 14 million starved to death, one million put to death for political offenses, 15 million exiled to Siberian work camps from which they never returned. As low as 28 million; as high as 43 million depending on the source.

Totalitarian government is the exact opposite of liberal democracy… Suppress individual liberties Abolish all competing political parties Eliminate or regulate private property Use the bureaucracy and technology to impose its ideology and enforce its commands

-the ultimate goal of a totalitarian state is… Total control of the individual- what is believed, what values are held… There are no private moral judgements, no individual thought, no individual conscience… People have no natural rights…, they are building blocks for a new social order...

Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashavili 1879-1953 Born in 1879 to Georgian peasants, neither of whom spoke Russian. Father was a cobbler…also a violent and abusive drunk. He was the 4th child –first three died in infancy, He adopted the pseudonym “Stalin” meaning Man of Steel around 1910.

Stalin transformed the Soviet Union from a poor, undeveloped agricultural country into one of the world’s industrial and military giants. Born with a slightly deformed arm, at age 7 he got smallpox which left him scarred, He adopted the pseudonym “Stalin” meaning Man of Steel around 1910.

1943-”Uncle Joe” clean up the image of a shrewd, calculating, cold-hearted paranoid schizophrenic who had an intense dislike for criticism of him self. Maybe because bacj K in grade school he was called “pocky”

1953 – “In Death’s Shadow- a fight for power 1953 – “In Death’s Shadow- a fight for power.” Problem for Soviet Union- all potential leaders were gone, caught in the web/ Stalin’s fear of being vooverthrown.

1888-1894 attended local church school Stalin’s early years… 1888-1894 attended local church school Attended a church school from 1888-1894 where he learned Russian and was recognized as the best pupil in the school. Later Soviet historians claimed the headmaster called him “the best student ever.” “Soso”- his schoolboy nickname- earned a full scholarship to a Theological Seminary

Tiflis Theological Seminary Full scholarship to Tiflis to study for the priesthood. Expelled “Reading prohibited books and engaging in immoral behavior.: Later Stalin said the book he was reading Das Kapital encouraged him to organize other students into a Marxist club. Tiflis Theological Seminary

1898, after expulsion, he joined a secret group of Marxist revolutionaries - Social Democrats and embarked upon a career as a revolutionary. In 1902, he was arrested for organizing workers at a Rothchild manufacturing – 18 months in jail, thrn shipped off to Siberia.

Stalin arrest records… .Escaped in 1904. And, from 1902 through 1913, he was arrested 8 times, exiled 7 times and escaped 6 times. The government contained him only once, his last exile from 1913-1917. In 1917, the Kerensky govt freed all poltical prisoners from exile- Stalin didn’t have to escape! Between 1902 & 1913 Stalin was arrested and exiled 8 times.

As a revolutionary, Stalin .… helped organize workers’ strikes… set up a secret press to spread Marxist ideas…distributed illegal pamphlets… participated in train and bank robberies… by 1912, was a member of the inner circle of the Bolshevik party. 1911 editor of Pravda- which became the official govt newspaper of the communist party until 1991. Inner circle included Zinoviev and Kamenev and Trostsky

Lenin and Stalin in Finland By skilful Manipulation and clever publicity, Stalin rose to power but it wasn’t until 1929 that he cemented his position as Lenin’s recognized successor by appointing officials loyal to him. He had power to remove officials and expel members of the party. When the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917, Lenin awarded him position as Commissar of Nationalities- 65 million minorities in Russia. In 1922 he became the secretary-general-nobody wanted the job, but Stalin turned it into a powerful position-setting up meeting, setting the agenda.

Believed to be the successor to Lenin Believed to be the successor to Lenin. Leon Trotsky-Stalin’s arch enemy # 1 Orchestrated the night of Nov 6 Organized and led the Red Army Argued that communism was a world-wide revolution

Stalin’s “second death” strategy Stalin had millions of people sent to their deaths, but he did not kill them in flesh only. During this time he ordered censors to retouch photos, paintings, and posters, to make it seem as though his adversaries never existed.

Removal of Trotsky- 1918, Lenin was shot in the arm , but waited until 1922 to have bullet removed. In the process, a blood clot formed which led to a stroke and paralysis. Stalin manoeuvered himself to be Lenin’s mouthpiece. From there he destroyed his rivals, especially Trotsky. They also had ideological differences, Stalin did not believe world communism was imminent and wanted to increase the power of Soviet Union before advocating and supporting world revolution. Stalin demanded Trotsky to step down as commissar of war- friends said don’t do –organize a coup but Totrotsky rejected the idea of disloyalty. Eventually, Trotsky was expelled from the party. In the summer of 1932, Stalin became aware of opposition within the party to much of his policies and a move to bring back Trotsky was secretly being talked about. When the issue was discussed in the politboro, Stalin demanded that all critics be arrested and executed. Sergey Kirov, a Stalinist rejected the idea and when the vote was taken, Kirov got the majority. In 1934, Kirov wanted reconciliated with political dissenters- Stalin said no and was again outvoted.

1927 expelled from the Communist party 1928 exiled to Siberia 1929 deported to Turkey/Mexico 1940 murdered

Planned Economy or Command Economy

Stalin’s Industrial policies Initiated five year plans to promote the production of heavy machinery Focused on building steel mills, cement plants and oil refineries. Limited production of consumer goods like clothing and cosmetics. 1928- launched first five year plan quadrupled the production of heavy machinery and doubling the production of oil production. Between 1928 and 1937 steel production icreased from 4 to 18 million tons per year and coal output went from 36 to 128 million tons. Meanwhile, investment in housing actually declined after 1929. real wages declined by 43 per cent between 1928 and 1940 and strict laws limited worker’ freedom of movement.

Stalin’s Agricultural policies Eliminated wealthy, land-owning kulaks Initiated Collectivization- large government farms called “collectives” replaced private plots. The capital needed for industrial growth could be gained by creating agricultural surpluses through eliminating private farms and pushing people on to collective farms. By eliminating private property, a communist ideal would also be achieved. By 1930, some 10 million households had been collectivized, by 1934, 26 million. Stalin did not hesitate to starve peasants, especially in the Ukrain to force them to comply. Stalin supposedly told Winston Churchill during WWII that 10 million peasants died during the artificially created famines in 1932 and 1933.

Stalin’s Political policies- Dictatorship of the Communist Party Created a secret police with unlimited power to crush dissenters critical of Soviet life Strictly controlled the minority nationalities Used “show trials” to eliminate and intimidate all potential rivals Used art & literature to glorify himself and the Communist State 1936-1838, the Old Bolshevik leaders (those members of the Politboro in 1917) were put on trial and condemned to death. During the same time, Stalin undertook to purge of army officers, diplomats, intellectuals and numerous ordinary citizens. It is estimated that 8 million Russians were arrested; millions died in Siberia in forced labor camps- giving Stalin the distinction of being one of the greatest mass murders in human history.

Stalin’s Social/Cultural policies… “The Cult of personality” Mandated & expanded education at all levels Promoted educational opportunities for women Censored all forms of creative thinking and expression Replaced religious teachings with Communist ideals

THE END……. any questions my comrades?

Any Questions? The End

Read: A. 0. Advienko- “Cult of Stalin” Russian religious tradition: worship of the saints and veneration of the Tsar were common practices… Stalin intensified this tradition, leading to the “cult of personality” – the deliberate fixation on an all powerful leader, whose personality exemplified the challenge of extraordinary times.