Soviet Mentality 2007

The Soviet Union:Totalitarian State

• Within the party not considered as a great thinker, writer, or effective public speaker

• Often described as cold, hard, and impersonal, a “grey blur”

• Played only a small role in the Russian Revolution of 1917

The Grey Blur

Joseph Stalin

• As General Secretary of the Communist Party, Stalin was able to consolidate his power by exerting total control over the details of party structure –

• Stalin appeared to provide a sense of security and direction for the future

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Joseph Stalin

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“We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it or we shall be crushed” – Stalin

Socialism in One Country

• Lenin’s worldwide revolution delayed, unattainable

• Duty of USSR to first create strong socialist state - must be able to ward off enemies!

Socialism in One Country

• Industrialization– Series of 5 year plans– Fantastic results - by

1930’s was worlds 3rd leading industrial power!

Socialism in One Country

• Agricultural Revolution– 1928 seized 25 million

privately owned farms– Established gov’t owned

farms called collectives

Socialism in One Country

• Costs– Brutal techniques used

against workers and farmers

– Secret police coerced population to meet economic goals

– Massive famine un Ukraine kills 5-10 million

Socialism in One Country

Soviet Mentality

• The people accepted difficulties and sacrificing – Czars and communists had controlled people through force, fear

• Promises of prosperity and something great coming soon were believed

Soviet Mentality

• Brutality of the state was for their own protection

• Checka, then NKVD, terrorized people – they were genuinely afraid

• “Politicals” - Enemies of the people who were arrested for alleged spying, disloyalty, etc. Received worse punishments then common criminals

• Gulags

Gulags

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Gulags

Gulags

Gulags

Gulags

Gulags

The Great Terror 1937-38

• Arrests - about 7 million

• Executed - about 1 million

• Died in camps - about 2 million

• In prison, late 1938 - about 1 million

• In camps, late 1938 - about 8 million

• Only 10% in camps survived

The Great Terror 1937-38

• Those arrested include original Bolsheviks, military officers, party members

• Stalin’s signature appears on death warrants of over 600,0000

• History is re-written

Four... Three...

Two... One...

Changing History

Changing History

Full Circle...

• Stalin dies in 1953• “All of us around

Stalin were temporary”

• “Destalinization” of the USSR under Kruschev

Full Circle...

Thought Questions

• Why didn’t the people of the Soviet Union rise up?

• What do you think you could do to stay safe?

• Who was probably most at risk?