Totalitarianism under Stalin

1. Define the term totalitarianism Government that takes total, centralized, state,
control over every aspect of public and private life.
2. While reading the excerpt, create a list of methods of control used by Soviet leaders
and examples
Methods
1. Police Terror
2. Indoctrination
3. Propaganda and
Censorship
4. Religious or Ethnic
Persecution

Examples
1. Spying on citizens,
intimidating citizens, brutal force,
murder
2. Control of education
3. Control of all mass media,
no publication, film, art, or music
allowed to be produced without
state permission
4. Campaigns of terror,
violence

Of all the methods of control, which allows the MOST long-term control? The method
of control that allows the MOST long-term control would be the propaganda and
censorship. In my opinion it allows the most control because nothing can be put out
without the permission from the state and they can change the media and make it say
what they want it to say. If the state does not want people to think a certain way they
can change it and censor it to the way they want it to sound.
3. Stalins methods of control.
a. What was the Great Purge? Campaign of terror directed at eliminating
anyone who threatened Stalins power
How would Stalins use of this action increase his power? Anyone against
him or threatening his power was killed or terrorized. No one could go against
him, and those who did could be sent to concentration camps.
b. What was Pravda? Editorial in Communist party newspaper explaining the
purpose of art
How did Stalin explain the purpose of art in the USSR? He explained the
purpose of art by saying Literature, the cinema, the arts are levers in the hands
of the proletariat which must be used to show the masses positive models of
initiative and heroic labor.
c. What is an atheism? Lack in a belief of an existence of a god or gods
How did Stalin use atheism to influence his control over his citizens?
Exhibits showing that religious beliefs were just superstitions, killing or sending
religious leaders to concentration camps.

4. Stalins control over the economy.

a. What is a command economy? System in which the government made all
economic decisions
b. Stalins Five Year Plans
1. Purpose Development of the Soviet Unions economy
2. Results? Severe shortage of housing, food, clothing, and other
necessary goods for people
c. What methods did Stalin use to bring agriculture under state control? Taking
control of over 25 million farms that were privately owned in the USSR and turning them
into large, government owned farms called collective farms.
d. Kulaks Who were they? They are people who fiercely resisted
collectivization.
1. How did they create a problem for Stalin? Kulaks murdered officials,
torched properties of the collectives, and burned their own crops and grain in
protest.
2. How did he solve the problem? Stalin solved the problem by declaring
they should liquidate kulaks as a class. The state took control of their land and
equipment. They also confiscated stores of food and grain.