Global Studies II

Unit II Russia

Totalitarianism under Stalin

2. Define the term totalitarianism A type of government that takes total and holds total

authority over society and seeks control over all aspects of the public and private lives.

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

Methods
Police Terror

Examples
Police using and involved in violence and terror.
An example would be The Great Purge.

Indoctrination

Control over the education of people and was

enforced to young people from schools. They
want more people to learn certain things.

Propaganda and Censorship

Bias and incomplete facts/information is used to

sway people to believe certain things.

Religious and Ethnic Perception

These groups can be easily identified and may

be forced to do certain things.

Of all the methods of control, which allows the MOST long-term control?

I think the method of Religious and Ethnic Perception allows the most long-term control because
people are usually the same religion their whole life, and people are born into a certain ethnic
group and they cant change their ethnicity so that would be the longest control.

3. Stalins methods of control.

a. What was the Great Purge? How would Stalins use of this action increase his power?
The Great Purge was a campaign of terror lead by Stalin, he purged anyone who threatened his power. He
eliminating anyone he wanted, executing them or sending them to labor camp. This increased his power by
getting rid of anyone that was in his way and making himself leader for longer.
b. What was Pravda? How did Stalin explain the purpose of art in the USSR?
Pravda was the official Russian newspaper of the Communist party. Stalin explained the purpose of art in
the USSR by using propaganda.

c. What is an atheism? How did Stalin use atheism to influence his control over his citizens?
Atheism is the disbelief in God/gods/any religion. Stalin used atheism to influence control over his citizens
by making them not believe in whats right or wrong, brainwashing people and trying to make it seem like him
killing innocent people was okay to do.

4. Stalins control over the economy.

a. What is a command economy? In 1928, Stalin began this plan, which was a system where the
government made all the economic decisions.
b. Stalins Five Year Plans
1. Purpose
To develop the Soviet Unions economy, which set impossibly high goals. Goals to increase steel, coal, oil,
and electricity. To reach the goals, it limited production.

2. Results?
There was severe shortages of housing, food, clothing and other necessities.

c. What methods did Stalin use to bring agriculture under state control?
He introduced collective farming.

d. Kulaks - Who were they?

They were a Russian class of peasant farmers that owned their own land.

1. How did they create a problem for Stalin?

The created a problem for Stalin because they didnt see Stalin as a leader.

2. How did he solve the problem?

He solved the problem by starting Collectivization and industrialization.