Social Policies of Stalin

Purpose

This blog will address two of the social polices of Stalin's reign of the Soviet Union after taking control and declaring himself dictator. I found education and propaganda to be essential to Stalin's power and how he remained in power for so long with his own version of Communism.

Propaganda

Thesis: Stalin used propaganda to enforce the idea of his superiority and power as he cultivated the personality cult he wished for.

Stalin entered into an intense campaign to have the people recognize him called Stalinism.

Huge portraits of Stalin were place all over the country, upon walls of large buildings and on small posters everywhere.
Every store had a small statue of him on display, movies were made about his life, poems, and books even plays were written to celebrate his great leadership.
His presence was everywhere, but the truths about his atrocities were well hidden.

Had history rewritten so he was the hero of the Russian Revolution while continuing to alienating Trotsky. He also used Lenin to further his fame by associating himself with him.

Idols such as a Russian boy who gave up his father who still had ties to the Kulaks [Independent farmers of the Russian Empire (1721-1917)] were supposed to be for youth to admire; essentially role models.
Newspaper’s referred to him as “Man of Steel”, “Universal Genius”, and even “Shining Sun of Humanity”.
Hymm to Stalin, taught in schools.

“Thank you, Stalin. Thank you because I am joyful. Thank you because I am well. No matter how old I become, I shall never forget how we received Stalin two days ago. Centuries will pass, and the generations still to come will regard us as the happiest of mortals, as the most fortunate of men, because we lived in the century of centuries, because we were privileged to see Stalin...Everything belongs to thee, chief of our great country. And when the woman I love presents me with a child the first word it shall utter will be : Stalin…”
This shows the type of “brainwashing” and manipulation that Stalin was capable of and how his citizens became such loyal subjects in World War II and the Cold War.

Loyal Soviet worker refusing capitalism from European/American powers

A beloved Stalin

Education

Thesis: The educational system in Soviet Russia developed in a manner to create loyal Soviet workers/citizens who would put Stalin and country before anything else.

Exams and any sort of activities that involved competition were removed or banned from the educational system.
Methods of discipline were increased and the schools became stricter with mandatory uniforms as well.

Discipline matched that of what they would receive in factories as a worker.

Courses were aimed at creating skilled workers; this was because children were very influential and an easy way to ensure the nation’s future.
The aim of this new type of education was to create a loyal, hardworking Soviet citizen who was proud of Russia’s history.

Large focus on history; such as Kings/Tzars, battles, and dates.

Pushed the literacy rates to 86%, had been very small before.
Stalin's Rules

Rule one - 'It is the duty of each school child to acquire knowledge persistently so as to become an educated and cultured citizen and to be of the greatest possible service to his country.'