Totalitarianism Under Stalin
"Account for the development of totalitarianism under Stalin between 1928 and 1945. ... These trends can be traced back to the ruling party, or indeed the ruling person – Stalin. The aspects explored within this evaluative response will clearly show how this totalitarianism came to be. Stalin slowly but surely extended his power or influence over many aspects of political, social, cultural, and economic elements within Russia during his reign. In order to stay in power, Stalin was aware that certain measure would have to be taken. ... This of course meant that Stalin had to change aspects which applied to all elements of Russian society – from party members, to the NKVD and army, and to the peasantry. A lack of opposition was not always the fact though, as is the observable case during the early years of Stalin’s supremacy. Stalin’s political control came mainly through agencies such as the NKVD, the Communist Party, Media, as well as a growing cult of personality which started to form around Stalin. Stalin’s image came to dominate everyday life in the Soviet Union. ... This was all part of the cult of Stalin, a movement that sought to associate him with all positive aspects of life and praised him as the inspiration of the nation. The cult of Stalin was in fact so strong that even kindergarten children were trained to thank Stalin for happy childhoods as they rose from the meal table. So strong was this cult of personality, in later years when the purges and labour camps began to emerge, peasants and workers were convinces that Stalin had no idea about the conditions which they had to tolerate.