The USSR-The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Totalitarian Government in the Soviet Union

-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...

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

Leon Trotsky- architect of the Bolshevik Revolution Seized the headquarters of the Provisional Government; as well as key govt buildings, railway stations, telephone exchanges, electric generating plants

From Dictatorship of the Proletariat to War Communism

War Communism ( ) – Perry, page 739 > The state took over the means of production; > It conscripted labor & confiscated grain from the peasants; > State-run factories were mismanaged-workers stayed away from their jobs or performed poorly; > Peasants resisted food requisitions detachments; > March 1921 – The Kronstadt Naval Revolt By the end of 1921, Lenin adopted the NEP - New Economic Policy ( ) – except for finance, industry and transportation, the rest of the economy was returned to private enterprise.

Lenin suffered a stroke and paralysis in 1922; his health slowly deteriorated until his death in 1924

Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashavili “Stalin” transformed the Russian Empire” into the Soviet Union; from a poor, undeveloped agricultural country into one of the world’s industrial and military giants.

Stalin’s early years… attended local church school

Tiflis Theological Seminary

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…

Stalin's arrest photo and records…

By 1912, Stalin was a member of the inner circle of the Bolshevik party.

Stalin’s “second death” strategy

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 & cosmetics.

Stalin’s Agricultural policies Eliminated wealthy, land-owning kulaks Initiated Collectivization- large government farms called “collectives” replaced private plots.

Stalin’s Political policies- Dictatorship of the Communist Party Created a secret police with unlimited power to crush dissenters critical of his rule. 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

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 Initiated “The Cult of personality”

THE END……. any questions my comrades?

Any Questions? The End