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Life in a Totalitarian State. Racheal Treadway p. 729-733. Stalin’s Rule. Stalin makes the Soviet Union a totalitarian state. Government tries to regulate the lives of the citizens Use censorship and propaganda to control the people’s opinions Those who oppose are
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Life in a Totalitarian State RachealTreadway p. 729-733
Stalin’s Rule • Stalin makes the Soviet Union a totalitarian state. • Government tries to regulate the lives of the citizens • Use censorship and propaganda to control the people’s opinions • Those who oppose are killed or sent to torture camps
Propaganda • Communism constantly promoted • Use radio and loudspeaker systems to give messages to villages and factories • Posters and billboards encourage workers to exceed production quotas • Schools, theaters, and newspaper print about the successes of communism and the hardship of capitalist workers. • People encouraged to turn in anyone suspected of being a spy/traitor • Statues put up honoring a 14-year old boy for turning his father in
Censorship • Government keeps tight restraint on media and the arts • Only government-approved works can be published • Even music is regulated • Socialist realism becomes new style • Shows the good of life in a communist state • Artists pushed to show hope for communism • Those who opposed were imprisoned/tortured • Others wrote their works in private and were published later
Religion • Communist party promoted atheism shunned religious groups • Seized a lot of religious property and imprisoned many priests • Used churches to set up museums disproving religious miracles • Only group not heavily restricted are the Muslims • Soviet Union wanted support from the Middle East • Replaced religion with communist ideals • Portraits of Stalin hung in the homes of the people
Members of the Communist Party • Members of the party were given special privileges • Lived in nicer, roomier apartments • Had vacation homes • Could shop at special stores containing rare supplies
Benefits of Communism • Provided education, medical care, and day care • Housing was kept inexpensive • Some families lived in one room apartments • Free public transportation and recreation • Women given the opportunity to have good jobs • Still expected to do domestic duties as well