WhowasJosephStalin?Howdidherule?

Objectives:ExplainwhoJosephStalinwasandwhattotalitarianismis.

Introduction:

Totalitarianism-asystemofgovernmentinwhichonepartytriestorulewithcompletecontrolover
everyaspectofthelivesofitscitizen
Basedonthedefinitionabove,ifatotalitariandictator[arulerwithtotalcontroloveracountry]ruledthe
UnitedStatesofAmerica,whatwouldbedifferent?

TotalitarianRulesinHistory:CompleteControl,DifferentIdeologies

Therehavebeenanumberoftotalitarianrulersinhistory.Whiletheyalltrytoruntheirtotalitarianstates
withcompletecontroloverthepeoplethatliveinthem,theyoftenhavedifferentideologies[beliefs]that
guidetheirdecisions.Forexample,thefirsttotalitarianruleryouwilllearnabout,JosephStalin,wasa
Communist.HeusedtotalitarianismtomakeRussiaintothefirststateinspiredbyKarlMarxsideas.Adolf
Hitlerwasanothertotalitarianruler.Hisideologywascalledfascism.Fascistsalsowantedcompletecontrol
overtheircountries,buttheywereopposedtoCommunism.

WhowasJosephStalin?
WatchBiography.comsMini-BiographyofJosephStalinandanswerthequestionsbelow.

1.WhatwasStalinsearlylifelike?

2.WhateffectsdidStalinsrulehaveonthe
SovietUnion?

3.WhywasStalinfearedintheSovietUnion?

JosephStalin,1942
Source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lenin.jpg

HowdidStalingain,consolidate,and
maintainpowerintheSovietUnion?
Objectives:DescribehowJosephStalingained,consolidated,andmaintainedpowerinSovietRussia.

Directions:Asyoureadtheinformationbelow,annotateitbyplacingaGnexttoexamplesofmethodsthat
StalinusedtogainpowerinRussia,aCnexttoexamplesofmethodsheusedtoconsolidatehispower,andan
Mnexttoexamplesofmethodsusedtomaintainpower.Then,completethequestionsaccompanyingthe
documents.Attheendoftheactivity,fillinthegraphicorganizerbelow.
GAIN

CONSOLIDATE

MAINTAIN

Gainingpoweristheprocessofgettingitand
expandingit.

Consolidatingpoweristheprocessoftaking
controlfromotherpeoplewhoalsohave
power.

Maintainingpoweristheprocessofkeeping
onespower.

MethodofControl

Gain,Consolidate,
and/orMaintainPower?
Circleallthatapply.

GAIN

ShiftingPolitical
Alliances

Explanation
Explainwhythemethodofcontroldescribedmadeispossible
forStalintogain,consolidate,and/ormaintainpowerinRussia.

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN
GAIN

Propaganda

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN
GAIN

CommandEconomy:
FiveYearPlans

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN
GAIN

CommandEconomy:
Collectivization

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN
GAIN

SecretPoliceandGreat
Purges

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN
GAIN

CulturalandIdeological
Control

CONSOLIDATE
MAINTAIN

ShiftingPoliticalAlliancesToGainPower
WhenVladimirLenindiedin1924,thereweretwomembersofthe
Bolshevikpartypopularenoughtoreplacehim:LeonTrotskyand
JosephStalin.Trotskywasawellknownandrespectedleaderwho
wasinchargeoftheRedArmyduringtheRussianCivilWar.Stalin
wasalesserknownfigurewhohadareputationforgetting
whateverjobhewasassigneddonethoroughlynomatterwhat
stepshehadtotake.Leninhadhisdoubtsaboutbothmen,but
wasmostconcernedabouttheStalin.Inastatementbeforehis
death,hecalledforStalinsremovalandreferredtohimasrude,
disloyal,andcapricious[unpredictable].
AfterLeninsdeath,Stalinalliedhimselfwithtwoothermembersof
thepartywhowereopposedtoTrotsky.HetriedtomakeTrotsky
lookdisloyaltoLeninbymisleadinghimaboutthedateofthe
funeral,whichStalinorganized,andTrotskymissed.Stalin,also
publicizeddisagreementsthatTrotskyandLeninhadbefore
Leninsdeath.Eventually,StalinandhisalliesexpelledTrotsky
fromtheCommunistPartyandexiledhim.
AfterdealingwithTrotsky,Stalinchangedsidesagain,allying
himselfwithpartymembersagainstthetwowhohelpedhim
eliminateTrotsky.Theywerealsoexpelledfromtheparty.Stalins
abilitytomaneuverintheSovietgovernmentgavehimagreatdeal
ofcontrolandpreventedothersfromchallenginghim.
Source:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin

1.WhoweretheleadingcandidatesforreplacingLeninas
theheadoftheSovietgovernment?

2.HowdidStalineliminatethecompetitionandgainpower
afterLeninsDeath?

Propaganda
Propagandaisthespreadingofideastopromoteacauseordamageanopposingcause.It
isaspecifictypeofmessageaimedattryingtoinfluencepeople'sopinionsorbehaviors
actively.

WatchthisexcerptfromaHistoryChanneldocumentaryonStalin'suseofpropaganda
(12:55-end)andanalyzethetextandimagesbelowthenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.
LikeLenin,JosephStalinusedpropagandatoinfluencethebeliefsandactionsoftheRussianpeople.Inadditionto
puttingforththeirownideasthroughpropaganda,theSovietscensoredideasthattheydidnotagreewith,especially
thosethattheyviewedasanti-Marxistsoranti-Communist.Thegovernmentusedradio,posters,movies,lectures,art,
education,newspapers,books,andtheatretoinfluencetheopinionsofSovietcitizensandtoputapositivespinonthe
governmentsactions.

3.Whatispropaganda?Whatisthepurposeof
propaganda?

SovietPropagandaPosters

4.WhatformsofpropagandadidStalinsgovernment
use?

5.EachoftheposterstotheleftshowStalinindifferent
contexts.Takentogether,howdotheseposterdepict
Stalin?

6.Whatweretheeffectsofthepropagandausedduring
Stalinsreign?

CommandEconomy:FiveYearPlans
TheRussianCivilWarandwartime
communismhadadevastatingeffect
onthecountry'seconomy.Industrial
outputin1922was13percentofthe
outputin1914.Arecoveryfollowed
underLenin'sNewEconomicPolicy,
whichallowedadegreeofmarket
flexibilitywithinthecontextof
socialism,butStalinstoppedtheNEP
afterLeninsdeath.
UnderStalin'sdirection,theNEPwas
replacedbyasystemcalleda
CommandEconomy.Inacommand
economy,alloftheeconomicdecisions
aremadebythecentralgovernment.
ThisisanotherexampleofStalintaking
totalcontroloftheSovietUnion.
StalinthoughtthattheSovietUnion
neededtocatchupwiththerestofthe
worldsindustrialoutputand
transportationtechnology.Todoso,he
createdaseriesof"Five-YearPlans"
startinginthelate1920s.Theseplanssethighproductiongoalsforindustrieslikemining,railroads,electric
plantsandmanufacturers.
TheFiveYearplansweresuccessfulinincreasingtheindustrialoutputoftheSovietUnion.Thecountry
becameaworldleaderinindustrialgoods(seechartabove).
Source:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin

7.WhatwasthedifferencebetweenLeninsNEPandStalinsCommandeconomy?

8.WhatwerethegoalsoftheStalinsFiveYearPlans?

9.WeretheFiveYearPlanssuccessful?

CommandEconomy:Collectivization
Stalinsgovernmentalsocontrolledtheagriculturaleconomy.TheFive
YearPlansusedapolicycalledforcedcollectivizationwhichwas
intendedtoincreaseagriculturaloutputfromlargegovernment-owned
farmscreatedthroughtheintegrationofsmallerprivatefarms.Farm
ownersandpeasantsdidnothaveachoice.Theyhadtogiveuptheirland
andworkonthenewcollectivizedfarms.Peasantswererequiredtogive
uptheirfarmingequipment,livestock,produce,andeventheirhomesto
thegovernment.Itwasmeanttobringthepeasantryundermoredirect
politicalcontrol,tofacilitatethecollectionoftaxesandprovidemorefood
forpeoplelivinginSovietcities,butcollectivizationalsoledtoadrastic
dropinlivingstandardsformanypeasants,andcausedviolentreactions
bythepeasantrythatwasheavilysuppressedbytheRedArmy.
Inthefirstyearsofcollectivization,itwasestimatedthatagricultural
productionwouldrise50percent,however,agriculturalproduction
actuallydropped.Stalinblamedthisunanticipatedfailureonkulaks(rich
peasants)whoresistedcollectivization.(However,kulaksonlymadeup4
percentofthepeasantpopulation).Thereforethosedefinedas"kulaks,"
"kulakhelpers,"andlater"ex-kulaks"wereorderedbyStalintobeshot,placedintoGulaglaborcamps,or
deportedtoremoteareasofthecountry,dependingonthecharge.
Source:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin

10.Whatwascollectivization?

11.Howdidcollectivizationeffectpeasants?

12.Wascollectivizationsuccessful?

Holodomor:ForcedFamineinUkraine,
1932-1933
Manyhistoriansassertthatthedisruptioncausedby
collectivizationwaslargelyresponsibleformajorfamines.
Onesuchfamineoccurredduring19321933inUkraine
andtheKubanregion.ItisnowknownastheHolodomor
(meaning,hunger-exterminationinUkrainian).Stephane
Courtois'BlackBookofCommunismandothersources
documentthatduringtheHolodomorallgrainwastaken
fromareasthatdidnotmeetproductiontargetssetby
StalinsFiveYearPlans.Thisevenincludedthenextyear's
seedgrain,leavingthepeasantswithnothingtoeat.They
wereforcedtoremaininthesestarvingareas.Salesof
trainticketswerehaltedandtheSovietgovernment
createdbarriersandobstaclestopreventpeoplefrom
fleeingthestarvingareas.
AccordingtoaBBCarticlein2013,entirevillageswere
wipedoutasaresultofStalinspunishmentofUkraine
andinsomeregionsthedeathratereachedone-third.
YaleUniversityhistorianTimothySnyderestimatesthat
3.3millionpeoplediedasaresultoftheHolodomor.
Sources:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin;
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25058256

13.WhatwastheHolodomor?

14.WhydidsomanypeopledieduringtheHolodomor?

SecretPoliceandGreatPurges
WatchthisexcerptfromaHistoryChanneldocumentaryonStalin'sPurgesandUseofTerror
(start-12:54)andreadthetextbelowandanswerthequestionsthatfollow.
NoreferencetoJosephStalincanbemadewithout
referringtohisunmatchedabilitytousehisintelligence
servicesandthesecretpolice.ThoughtheSoviet
secretpolice,theCheka(later,theStatePolitical
DirectorateGPUandOGPU),hadalreadyevolvedinto
anarmofstate-sanctionedmurderunderLenin,Stalin
tooktheuseofsuchforcestoanewlevelinorderto
solidifyhisholdonpowerandeliminateallenemies,
realorperceived.
Stalinalsovastlyincreasedtheforeignespionage[the
practiceofspying]activitiesofSovietsecretpoliceand
foreignintelligence.Underhisguidinghand,Soviet
intelligenceforcesbegantosetupintelligence
networksinmostofthemajornationsoftheworld,
includingGermany,GreatBritain,France,Japan,and
theUnitedStates.Oneofthebestearlyexamplesof
Stalin'sabilitytointegratesecretpoliceandforeign
espionagecamein1940,whenhegaveapprovaltothe
secretpolicetohaveLeonTrotskyassassinatedin
Mexico.
Stalinconsolidatednear-absolutepowerinthe1930s
withaGreatPurgeoftheparty,justifiedasanattempt
toexpelopportunistsandcounter-revolutionary
infiltrators.Thosetargetedbythepurgewereoften
expelledfromtheparty,howevermoresevere
measuresrangedfrombanishmenttotheGulaglabor
campstoexecutionaftertrials.
Nosegmentofsocietywasleftuntouchedduringthe
purges.Article58ofthelegalcode,listingprohibited
"anti-Sovietactivities,"wasinterpretedandappliedin
thebroadestmanner.Peoplewouldinformonothersarbitrarily[randomlyandwithoutreason],toattemptto
redeemthemselves,outofenvyandplaindislike,ortogainsomerevengeorbenefits.Aworkerwouldreport
onhisboss,sononhisfather,andayoungmanonhisbrother.Theflimsiestreasonswereoftenenoughto
brandsomeonean"EnemyofthePeople,"startingthecycleofpublicpersecutionandabuse,often
proceedingtointerrogation,tortureanddeportation,ifnotdeath.
Inparallelwiththepurges,effortsweremadetorewritethehistoryinSoviettextbooksandotherpropaganda
materials.Notablepeoplethatwereexecutedwereremovedfromthetextsandphotographsasthoughthey
neverexisted.Gradually,thehistoryofrevolutionwastransformedtoastoryaboutjusttwokeycharacters:
LeninandStalin.
Source:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin

15.Whatisespionage?HowdidStalinuseit?

16.WhatwasthepurposeofStalinsGreatPurges?

17.WhateffectsdidStalinspurgeshaveonSovietsociety?

18.Whatwasagulag?Whatwasthepurposeofgulags?

19.Ifyouwereaccusedofbeinganti-Sovietwhatcouldhappen?

10

CulturalandIdeologicalControl
InStalinsSovietUnion,thegovernmentattemptedtocontrol
theideasandculturethatitscitizenswereexposedto.
Science
Inscience,onlyideasthatdidnotcontradictMarxism,
Leninism,orStalinsbeliefswereexplored.Thestudyof
evolution,forexample,wasprohibitedbecauseitdidnot
supportMarxsideasofhumandevelopment.Othersciences
thatcouldbenefitthestatewerewellfundedandflourished.
Forinstance,theSovietsmadegreatleapsincomputer,
weapons,androckettechnology.Thewerethefirstcountryin
space,launchingarocketcalledSputnikin1957.
ArtandLiterature
ArtandliteraturethatglorifiedStalinandthestatewas
encouraged,butthosewritersandartistswhosecreations
werecriticalofthegovernmentwerepunished,oftenarrested,
fined,senttoagulag,orexecuted.DuringStalin'sreignthe
officialandlastingstyleofSocialistRealismwasestablished
forpainting,sculpture,music,dramaandliterature.
StalintookapersonalinterestinshapingSovietculture,
sometimesinsurprisingways.Forexample,MikhailBulgakov
wasdriventopovertyanddespair;yet,afterapersonalappeal
toStalin,hewasallowedtocontinueworking.Hisplay,The
DaysoftheTurbins,withitssympathetictreatmentofan
anti-BolshevikfamilycaughtupintheCivilWar,wasfinally
staged,apparentlyalsoonStalin'sintervention,andbegana
decades-longuninterruptedrunattheMoscowArtsTheater.
Religion
Stalin'sroleinthefortunesoftheRussianOrthodoxChurchis
complex.Continuouspersecutioninthe1930sresultedinits
near-extinction:by1939,activeparishesnumberedinthelow
hundreds(downfrom54,000in1917),manychurcheshad
beenleveledorusedasclubs,offices,storagespace,oras
museums.Ceremonialartifactsandvesselswereconfiscated.
Religiousiconswereburned.Tensofthousandsofpriestsand
otherreligiousleaderswerepersecuted.Manynunsweresaid
tohavebeenraped.DuringWorldWarII,however,theChurch
wasallowedarevival(winter1941-1942)asapatriotic
organization.Thousandsofparisheswerereactivated,untila
furtherroundofsuppressiontookplaceduringKhrushchev's
rule.
ManyreligionspopularintheethnicregionsoftheSovietUnion
includingtheRomanCatholicChurch,Uniats,Baptists,Islam,
Buddhism,Judaism,etc.underwentordealssimilartothe
Orthodoxchurches.Thousandsofclergywerepersecuted,andhundredsofchurches,synagogues,
mosques,temples,sacredmonuments,monasteriesandotherreligiousbuildingswererazed.
Source:JosefStalin,NewWorldEncyclopedia,http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Josef_Stalin

11

20.WhatimpactdidStalinandtheSovietgovernmenthaveonscienceandthearts?

21.WhymighttheSovietgovernmenthavepersecutedtheRussianOrthodoxChurch?

RegentsMultipleChoiceCheckforUnderstanding
1.Whichstatementbestdescribesthepolitical
situationintheSovietUnionimmediatelyafter
Lenin'sdeathin1924?
(1)Thenationadoptedaconstitutional
monarchy.
(2)Trotskyandhisfollowersassumedfull
controloftheCommunistParty.
(3)Popularelectionswereheldtochoosea
newGeneralSecretary.
(4)Apowerstruggledevelopedamong
CommunistPartyleaders.
2.AmajorgoalofJosephStalinsfive-yearplans
wasto
(1)encouragecommunistrevolutionsinthe
coloniesoftheEuropeanpowers
(2)transformtheSovietUnionintoan
industrialpower
(3)expandtheSovietUnionsbordersto
includewarm-waterports
(4)reducetheamountofforeignaidcoming
fromtheWesternHemisphere

3.Baseyouranswertothefollowingquestiononthe
graphicorganizerbelowandonyourknowledgeof
socialstudies.

Whichtitlebestcompletesthisgraphicorganizer?
(1)SaddamHusseinandthePersianGulf
War
(2)SunYixian(SunYat-sen)andtheDefeat
oftheManchuDynasty
(3)JosephStalinandtheRiseofa
TotalitarianState
(4)JawaharlalNehruandtheModern
IndustrialStateofIndia

12

LedtheRussiansinasecondrevolution(1917)
Promised"Peace,Land,andBread"
EstablishedtheNewEconomicPolicy(NEP)
4.Whichleaderisbeingdescribedbythese
statements?
(1)CzarNicholasII
(2)NikitaKhrushchev
(3)VladimirI.Lenin
(4)MikhailGorbachev

Baseyouranswerstoquestions9and10onthe
followingquestiononthetablebelowandonyour
knowledgeofsocialstudies.

5.Totalitariancountriesarecharacterizedby
(1)freeandopendiscussionsofideas
(2)amultipartysystemwithseveral
candidatesforeachoffice
(3)governmentcontrolofnewspapers,radio
andtelevision
(4)governmentprotectionofpeoplescivil
liberties
6.WhichconditionwasaresultofJosephStalins
commandeconomy?
(1)Peasantswereencouragedtosellsurplus
grainforpersonalprofit.
(2)Theproductionofconsumergoods
increased.
(3)Nationalrevenueincreasedallowingfor
greaterindividualspending.
(4)Thegovernmentcontrolledagriculture
throughcollectivefarms.
7.Themainpurposeofthemanypurgesandpublic
trialsthattookplaceintheSovietUnioninthe
1930swasto
(1)forcetheJewishpeopletoleavethe
SovietUnion
(2)eliminateoppositiontoJosephStalinand
hisgovernment
(3)establishafreeandindependentcourt
systemintheSovietUnion
(4)reformtheoutdatedandinadequate
agriculturalsystem
8.IntheSovietUnion,JosephStalingovernedby
meansofsecretpolice,censorship,andpurges.
Thistypeofgovernmentiscalled
(1)democracy
(2)totalitarian
(3)limitedmonarchy
(4)theocracy

9.WhichSovietpolicyismostcloselyassociated
withtheinformationinthistable?
(1)Lenin'sNewEconomicPolicy
(2)Stalin'sfive-yearplans
(3)Brezhnev'spolicyofdtente
(4)Gorbachev'spolicyofglasnost

10.Betweenwhichtwoyearsdidthenumberof
collectivefarmsincreasethemost?
(1)1929and1930
(2)1930and1931
(3)1934and1935
(4)1939and1940

13