Module 12 Lesson 2: Totalitarianism

What is totalitarianism?

A government that takes total, centralized, state control over every aspect of public and private life.

What role do secret police play in a totalitarian state?

They enforce the central government’s policies, often using terror and violence to suppress opposition.

What is indoctrination in the context of totalitarianism?

The process of molding people’s minds through instruction in the government’s beliefs to ensure loyalty and support.

What is propaganda?

Biased or incomplete information used to sway people to accept certain beliefs or actions.

What are the main youth organizations in Soviet Russia under Stalin?

Little Octobrists, Young Pioneers, and Komsomol.

What was the Great Purge?

A campaign of terror initiated by Stalin aimed at eliminating anyone who threatened his power.

What methods did Stalin use to control education?

The government controlled all education to ensure that people learned the virtues of the Communist Party.

How did Stalin create a myth around his image?

He portrayed himself as the father and savior of the nation, naming various aspects of life after himself and promoting extreme loyalty.

What was collectivization?

The process in which the government seized privately owned farms and combined them into large, government-owned farms.

What was the impact of Stalin’s economic policies on consumer goods?

The government limited production of consumer goods, leading to severe shortages for the population.

What were the consequences of agricultural collectivization for the kulaks?

Many kulaks faced death by starvation, execution, or were sent to labor camps due to resistance against collectivization.

What was the result of Stalin's Five-Year Plans?

Impressive economic results in industrial production, although many targets were not fully met.

What was the purpose of state-sponsored youth groups under Stalin?

To train future party members and ensure indoctrination of younger generations.

How did Stalin address religious groups in the Soviet Union?

He targeted religious groups for persecution, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, promoting atheism instead.

What was the Ukrainian Holodomor?

A government-engineered famine during collectivization, resulting in millions of deaths among the kulaks.

How did Stalin's policies affect women's roles in society?

Women were expected to work in the labor force and had access to new educational opportunities, though they continued to face societal expectations.

What was one major consequence of Stalin's total control over society?

Elimination of personal rights and freedoms, with a focus on state power.

What were the consequences faced by those who dissent in a totalitarian regime?

They risked imprisonment or execution for their dissenting views.

Why did Stalin prioritize industrialization through Five-Year Plans?

To make the Soviet Union a significant factor in the global market and to catch up with advanced countries.

What did Stalin require from the arts in terms of propaganda?

He demanded that artists create works that promoted the achievements of communism and glorified his leadership.