Control of the People

Lenin

• Success of October revolution and Russian Civil War gave Lenin and Bolsheviks firmly established political authority
• Lenin sought greater control in order to create a new organising principe;e for society
• Main desire was motivated by ideology
• Successes included censoring the media, influencing propaganda, removing political opponents through terror
• However his willingness to allow debate and reluctance to fully commit to terror meant he did not have complete control

How did Lenin control the people?

• Terror: during NEP, secret police reported to gov on issues of morality and social inequality; from 1922 Lenin ordered trials of political opponents; Red Terror following October revolution and during Civil war; Cheka helped to enforce war communism by hunting down peasants who weren't following policy; following civil war, level of terror used toned down.
• Religion: 1917 decree on land gave peasants right to seize land from the Church; thought freeing people from religion was key part of Communism; Terror used against Russian Orthodox Church; 1923 Lenin created The Living Church; 1918 decree concerning the separation of the Church and the State removed privileges enjoyed by the Church; 1920s increased persecution of Muslims.
• Propaganda: survival of assassination attempt was exaggerated for propaganda purposes; 1920+ portrayed as an 'ordinary man'; 'cult of Lenin' used to inspire ordinary people; Lenin disapproved of this but accepted it as it would strengthen Bolshevik control
• Mass Media: Bolshevik law meant only they could publish adverts; Glavit organisation established 1922 so press censorship would be more systematic; Bolsheviks had their own newspaper; Decree on the Press 1917 gave Bolshevik power to close newspapers that didn't support revolution; 1918 Lenin outlawed all non-Solcilatist papers
• Culture: 1920 brought Proletkult under Bolshevik control; Proletkult became a major movement; Lenin encourages the development of Russian cinema; believed that art could be used to inspire people so set up Agitprop 1920 to create art supporting Bolsheviks.

Stalin

• Stalin equally as keen as Lenin to control the people, however had different motives
• Stalin wanted to eliminate rivals, create climate of fear and to preserve his own personal power
• Similarities between Lenin and Stalin include the censorship of the media
• Differences include increased terror under Stalin

How did Stalin control the people?

• Terror: much more extensive use; set up new secret police force, NVKD January 1934; organised the Great Terror 1934-1940; 1937-1938 1.5million arrested, 680,000 of these executed; numerous groups targeted
• Religion:more pragmatic approach; during collectivisation closed Russian orthodox Churches; Religious minorities challenged is authority so targets set for number of people within these groups he wanted purged; during WWII relaxed control of religion as realised it could inspire people in ways Communism couldn't; Russian Orthodox priesthood expanded from 9254-11827 1946-1948
• Propaganda: focused on creating a cult of personality around Stalin; key aspect was 'Myth of two Leaders' which implied Lenin and Stalin worked together; key message that Stalin was natural heir to Lenin; frequently referred to Stalin as the Vozhd (leader); during WWII Stalin portrayed as fearless military leader
• Mass Media: further tightened censorship; 1920s he had the works of Political Rivals purged from libraries; Stalin edited Lenin's writings to removed compliments of his opponents and to emphasise closeness to Stalin; edited books about history of USSR 1938 to highlight his role in the revolution; Stalin banned publication of bad news; 1928+ Glavlit controlled media access to all economic data
• Culture: critical of influence of foreign culture; Avant-garde art became less influential; 1932 Socialist realism developed including literacy and art to give depiction of socialist reality; Stalin used art to promote his policies; some artists still celebrated Lenin over Stalin

Khrushchev

• critical of Stalin's attempts to get personal power and began policy of de-Stalinisation
• He was motivated both by political concerns and a want to preserve his own power
• He made limited use of terror and was reluctant to allow a cult of personality around himself
• However continued to make use of propaganda, persecuted religious groups and maintained an influence over culture

How did Khrushchev control the people?

• Terror: critical of Stalin and tried to end widespread terror; less arrests made, political prisoners released and debate permitted; secret police still existed and threats against gov were monitored
• Religion: Ideologically opposed religion; 1958 anti-religion campaign launched where Churches were closed and anti-region propaganda produced; 1958-64, no. of Russian Orthodox Churches decreased by 3000; 1959 Catholic monasteries closed; space programme used to undermine religious beliefs; campaigns targets women in religion as they made up 66% Russian Orthodox and 80% Protestants
• Propaganda: critical of Stalin's cult of personality; tried to revise cult of personality around Lenin; 1958 depicted himself as a disciple of Lenin, hero of WWII, man responsible for success of USSR; 1960s the failures of his policies undermined his cult of personality
• Mass Media: slightly relaxed control to promote development of consumer society; TV ownserhip increased under his final years and TV's used to support broader aims; Political publication still controlled by the KGB
• Culture: wanted to allow freedom of expression without underusing communist power so policies fluctuated from 'freeze' to 'thaws'; 'thaws' example when he permitted intellectuals to criticise Stalin; 'freezes' if expression went too far e.g. Doctor Zhivago was critical of Lenin; Granted less cultural freedom to women; allowed jazz and African music at music festival Moscow 1957; Tried to culturally liberate artists and intellectuals but limited ordinary people's access to culture