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Stalin and Totalitarianism

In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

Joseph StalinTotalitarianism

Changes Under StalinFive-Year Plans

Gulags

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Those who supported Lenin and theCommunists were known as “Reds”.The “Whites” opposed communism.

A civil war ensued. By 1921, the Redarmy defeated the Whites. However,

in 1924, Lenin died.

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Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky competedto succeed Lenin as leader of the Soviet

Union. Stalin gained control of thegovernment, expelled Trotsky, and eventually had Trotsky murdered.

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Stalin eliminatedrivals by accusing

them of beingdisloyal to

Communist ideals.Once in power, he

established atotalitarian state.The Communist

party controlled allaspects of individual

life.

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Totalitarianism is a political system inwhich a one-party government controlsall aspects of individual life. Citizensare denied the rights of free speech

and dissent. Secret police, censorship,and terror are used to control people.

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Stalin’s secret police arrested and executed rival leaders. Slave labor

camps were built in cold Siberia. Millionsof people died in these camps or gulags.

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Private land was taken from peasants.Peasants were forced to work on farms

owned by the government. These farmswere called collectives.

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Peasants in the Ukraine rejectedcollectivization. Stalin seized foodsupplies and sealed off the entire

region. Millions of Ukrainians starvedto death.

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Stalin was determinedto industrialize the nation.

He introduced aseries of Five-Year

Plans to industrializethe U.S.S.R. Heavy

industry was developed while consumer goods

were ignored.

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Stalin glorified hispart in building

the nation, portraying himself as

Russia’s greatestleader. His picture

appeared everywhere.Children memorizedhis sayings in school.

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Stalin used the government to controlSoviet education, the economy, and

even music and the arts. Sovietcitizens only heard about Communist

ideals and successes.

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Stalin controlledall aspects of life

in the Soviet Union.He was a totalitarian

dictator.

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Russia wastransformed

by the Communists.Life in the

Soviet Unionwas controlled bythe Communist Party under the

leadership of JosephStalin.

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Questions for Reflection:

• Who was Joseph Stalin and how did he rise to power?

• How does totalitarianism differ from democracy?

• Who went to the gulags and why?• What were collectives and why did some

peasants reject them?• How did Stalin change life in the Soviet

Union?