Issue #2: To what extent is resistance to liberalism justified?

1. Issue #2: To what extent is resistance to liberalism justified? Twentieth-Century Rejections of Liberalism-USSR

2. Totalitarianism • A government system that seeks complete control over the public and private lives of citizens. Totalitarian regimes believe society is in need of complete transformation. • Can be found on either end of the political spectrum. • Radical, as in the Soviet Union (communism) • Reactionary, as in Nazi Germany (fascism)

3. Totalitarian governments: maintaining control! • Use of propaganda • Coercive power • Communication technologies. Conformity to the state ideology is demanded. How is conformity achieved….see page 168. Figure 5-4 page 168.

4. Conditions in Russia • 1800s -- 80% of Russian citizens were peasants. • Serfs were legally bound to remain on the land on which they were born. • 1861 Czar Alexander II announced the emancipation of the serfs. However, implementation was slow and serfs had to pay for their land for decades. • 1860s – 20th century classical liberal economic policies introduced. • Rapid industrialization occurred

5. Conditions in Russia con’t • Population doubled 50 million to 100 million • Monarchy did not want to give up power and small democratic reforms that were announced were slow to be implemented. • Czar Alexander II assassinated and his son Alexander III institutes stricter political control using the secret police. • Russian political dissidents come in to contact with Marxism while in Europe.

6. Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov (Lenin) April.22.1870 – January.24.1924 Adopted the name “Lenin” after his Siberian exile in 1901 Became leader of the Bolsheviks, and later, led the Bolsheviks to what became knows as the October Revolution. Nearly 3 years of civil war later, Lenin and the Bolsheviks assumed power of the entire country. Lenin used Karl Marx’s ideas to transform the Soviet Union into a communist state. Lenin modified Marx’s ideas to suit the conditions of his country.

7. Rise of Communism • Poor conditions led to the Russian Revolution of 1905. • Led to some reforms such as freedom of assembly, universal suffrage, and a legislative assembly called the Dumas. • Czar, however, still held supreme power and limited the power of the Dumas. • World War I further intensified the problems in Russia. • February 1917 – mass demonstrations and strikes led to the czar abdicating. Provisional government is established. • October 1917 – Lenin’s communist Bolsheviks take over the government.

8. Communism in Russia • Lenin’s slogan “Land, Peace, Bread” • Civil war breaks out (1917-1922) • Lenin’s Bolsheviks (Red Army) vs. The White Army • 1924 – Russia renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) • USSR is now a dictatorship ruled by the Communist Party.

9. Communism in the USSR • Lenin believed that Marxism must be carried out differently in Russia. • During the civil war “war communism” was introduced. • Economic System between 1918 and 1921 • Integrated “emergency measures” and “socialist dogma” *A dogma is a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle* • It was abandoned because it led to strikes, demonstrations, riots, and created social distress, all in all, it failed miserably • Introducedby Lenin in hopes to fight the economic problems introduced through the civil war in Russia

10. New Economic Policy 1921 This was a policy designed to revive the nation from its economic recessions, mainly in the area of agriculture Re-introduced some limited private ownership of land and business, allowed farmers to sell surplus for profit Obviously this is a step away from “pure” communism, but Lenin only intended to be a temporary policy Lenin saw that the only way the Socialist Revolution can be saved was to come to an agreement with the peasants and farmers Within a few months, it had incredible success The famine was gradually eliminated, as well as the speculation of failure The state retained control of banking, large industry, transportation and trade. Lenin’s Policies

11. Joseph Stalin December.18.1879 – March.5.1953 Assumed name Joseph “Stalin” means “Man of Steel” Following Lenin’s death, became leader of the Soviet Union after a two year power struggle with Leon Trotsky; whom Stalin had deported. Stalin radically changed the USSR into an industrialized nation and ended the “New Economic Policy” Stalin’s policies were known as the “Five Year Plans” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikd9sHFSF0A

12. 5 Year Plans In 1928 Joseph Stalin came up with one of the three “5 Year Plans” Plans were to lead the Soviet Union to increased industrialization and to collectivize the country as whole. Also prepared the country for war against Nazi Germany During these terms however, many were purged and terrorized

13. Collectivizing Farms Collective farms were plans to incorporate agriculture into the focus of the nation Private ownership was banned and everyone had to voluntarily collectivize farms “Kulaks” were a group from the richer peasants class that resisted the idea of collectivizing for the state, through propaganda they were shown as being greedy and uncaring towards the nation but only themselves. They were labeled un-soviet

14. Ukrainian Famine Most productive area for agriculture had been Ukraine Stalin wanted to crush the vestiges of Ukrainian nationalism, thus he used famine as a tool to break the spirit of the people. Thanks to the famine, the will to resist collectivization was destroyed and Ukraine was left in a state of disaster Between 1932 and 1933 it is estimated that 6 to 7 million people died due to the famine. This genocide is known as the Holodomor See “Pause and Reflect” on page 182

15. Great Purge Purges conducted mainly throughout the 1930s and were carried out by the secret police (NKVD) Anyone expected to be an opponent or to be against Stalin were dealt with violently Between the years 1934 and 1938 around 10 million people were deported to concentration camps and/or executed. We will study this in more depth later… See page 182-183 and consider the question On page 183.