RUSSIA TOTALITARIANISM

Government takes total, centralized, state control

over people’s daily lives (public & private)

DICTATOR• By 1928, Stalin wielded absolute power

over everything:
government
economy
many aspects of citizens’ private lives
 because:
Stalin was determined for the USSR
to rank among the most powerful world nations
—politically and economically.

By use of:
* Terror / Violence * government purges (to rid any personal opposition)
* propaganda * indoctrination * censorship *
* religious or ethnic persecution *

* Charismatic leader can: build support for his policies

and can justify his
actions through his words *
 DICTATOR’S WEAPONS
Police Terror Indoctrination Propaganda & Religious or Ethnic
Censorship Persecution
• brutal force, Through the education • biased or incomplete • Totalitarian leaders
intimidation, and system, information pick a scapegoat to be
spying to achieve their • mold people’s minds used to sway people “enemies of the
goals: to the govt’s beliefs to accept certain state”
• forcing obedience • glorify the leader / his beliefs / actions • blamed for anything
• enforcing the policies • Cannot claim that that goes wrong
govt’s policies • convince all citizens info is wrong • =targets of terror and
• crush opposition that their • State controls ALL violence
unconditional loyalty mass media
and support are • nothing is
required published without
state’s permission
.

Of the weapons of totalitarianism,

which allows the most
long-term control?
Discuss with your neighbor
Totalitarian leaders appear to
provide a sense of security
and give a direction for the future.