Life in a totalitarian state

1. Life in a totalitarian state Ben Yoder

2. Totalitarian State • Under Stalin's rule he turned the government of Russia into a totalitarian state • In a Totalitarian State one party dictatorship attempts to regulate every aspect of the lives of its citizens • They also imposed central government control over industry and agriculture • The people under Stalin’s rule Russian citizens basically had no rights

3. Changes in Soviet society • The communist government changed the soviet society by • Destroying the old social order of landowning noble at the top and serfs at the bottom • The New Elite was the head of society, they had benefits that others didn't • Education – They government built schools everywhere and required all children to attend • Women – under the Communists, women won equality under the law the gained access to education

4. Propaganda • Using modern technology the government bombarded the people with propaganda • The propaganda was mostly about communist successes and the evils of capitalism. • On billboards and posters urged workers to meet or exceed production quotes

5. Religion • Following the ideas of Marx, atheism became the official policy of the state • Many priests and other religious leaders were killed or died in prison • The party seized most religious property, converting many churches into offices and museums

6. Censorship • Government controlled what books were published • Under Stalin’s, writers, artist, and composers faced persecution • Artists who ignored socialist-realist guidelines could not get materials, workspace, or jobs