Global Studies II

Unit II Russia

Name Niko Barattucci

Totalitarianism under Stalin

1. Define the term totalitarianism
Describes a government that takes total, centralized, state control over every aspect of public
private life.

2. While reading the excerpt, create a list of methods of control used by Soviet leaders and examples

Methods

Police terror

Indoctrination

Examples

Moved all the peasants onto a collective farm

so therefore Stalin could obtain their land,
also for his agriculture revolution.

Also the Great Purge is a great example of

Police terror, by eliminating anyone who
threatened his power.

Communism.

The government controlled all newspapers,

motion pictures, radio, and other sources of
information. Pravda is the control of the

Propaganda and censorship

news and what they want the people to

know.
Religious or ethnic persecution
-

Aimed to replace religious teachings with

ideals of communism. They had an official
group of atheists that spread propaganda
attacking religion.

Of all the methods of control, which allows the MOST long-term control?
Indoctrination is the most long term control for the reasoning of education. They can control what the kids
learn and what to put into their young minds. Also with the control of education, being able to convince all
citizens that their unconditional loyalty and support are required.
3. Stalins methods of control.
a. What was the Great Purge? How would Stalins use of this action increase his power?
A campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened his power. He would increase his power
by the end of the purge with total control of the soviet government and the communist party. He acquired
power by sending anyone who threatened his way of power to labor camps or to be executed.

b. What was Pravda? How did Stalin explain the purpose of art in the USSR?
Its the communist party newspaper. What was in the paper was only what the communist wanted people to
read and see what was going on.

c. What is an atheism? How did Stalin use atheism to influence his control over his citizens?
It is when people do not think there is a god. He used atheism to spread propaganda attacking religion.

4. Stalins control over the economy.

a. What is a command economy? A system in which the government make all economic decisions.
b. Stalins Five Year Plans
1. Purpose
To increase the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity.

2. Results?
People faced severe shortages of housing, food, clothing, and other necessary goods.

c. What methods did Stalin use to bring agriculture under state control?
Stalin took over 25 million privately owned farms and made them into collective farms. To provide food for
the state.

d. Kulaks - Who were they?

A class of wealthy peasants.

1. How did they create a problem for Stalin?

The peasants fought the governments attempt to take their land. They would protest by
killing off livestock and destroying crops.

2. How did he solve the problem?

By removing the peasants form their land. The soviet police and Stalin forced the
peasants on a collective farm. Which then gave him control over their land.