Stalin’s totalitarian regime essay

Stalin’s totalitarian regime, which emerged in the 1930’s, was based on many factors. The Cult of personality, the great terror, socialist realism and Stalin’s social and economic policy all played their part in sustaining a totalitarian regime; that is, a regime that aimed at total control and demanded total commitment from all its citizens. Overall, the Cult of personality played an important role in that it helped to inspire the loyalty, but other factors were more important in terms of extending control.

Stalin’s cult of personality was an important aspect of his totalitarian regime. Totalarianism requires not just obedience but total commitment to the regime. The cult of personality inspired total commitment by turning Stalin into a ‘leader, teacher, and friend’. While it was difficult to feel love for the communist Party or the five year plans, the cult of personality allowed people to feel love towards Stalin, which inspired them to be loyal to the regime. The cult of personality was established in paintings of Stalin celebrating with workers and communists. For example. In the film ‘Lenin in October’ presented Stalin and Lenin as equals therefore emphasising how Stalin was the ‘Lenin of today’. Clearly, the Cult of personality was key support for Stalin’s totalitarian regime because works of art inspired people to…