Download PROPOGANDA

PROPOGANDA
AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON OF TOTALITARIAN REGIMES
Information summarized from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_in_the_Soviet_Union
WHAT IS PROPOGANDA?
• information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or
publicize a particular political cause or point of view.
• Used to sway people to accept certain belief or actions
• Done because the government [or controlling agent] has power over all mass
media
• It censors all forms of publications and nothing could exist without its permission
• Being surrounded by all forms of falsehoods makes people believe they are true
• Suggesting that the information is incorrect/false is considered an act of treason
and punishable [death or imprisonment]
• It can start a large movement or a revolution only if the masses rally behind it to
make the images a reality
• It could instill hope, faith unity and solidarity
PROPOGANDA IN THE U.S.S.R
• Communist propaganda in the Soviet Union was extensively based on
the Marxism-Leninism ideology to promote the Communist Party line.
• The main Soviet censorship body, Glavlit , was employed not only to
eliminate any undesirable printed materials, but also "to ensure that
the correct ideological spin was put on every published item".
• Things were so censored that Isaac Babel, a writer told a friend "Today a man
only talks freely to his wife – at night, with the blankets pulled over his head“
• Images were mass produced and placed in visible areas to remind
people of the Communist policy and guidelines for proper thinking
and behavior
Types of propaganda
School and Youth
Organizations
• Wanted to create a new man
• Wanted to indoctrinate [train]
the new generation on a
collective way of life, be Red,
build a utopia of brotherhood
and justice, be active in the
Revolution and fight enemies of
socialism
Radio
• Used to read the illiterate
• They set up communal locations
where people would come to
listen to the radio for updated
news from the government
Types of propaganda
Posters
Cinema/theatre
• Bold simple designs with
powerful messages
• Used to help the less literate to
convey messages with visuals
• Propaganda movies were shown
in theaters and to the public to
prepare the population and
teach them of the changes
taking place
• Supposed to inspire support of
the regime and hatred of the
enemy…characters shows virtue
Types of propaganda
Propaganda Trains
Meetings /Lectures
• Train ride outfitted with portable
cinemas and lecturers to
announce major policy changes
• Lecturers were used to promote
solidarity and make
announcements
• Speeches by Stalin especially
were powerful
Types of propaganda
Art
Newspapers/books
• Shows a clear message
• Considered the best form of
propaganda
• Portrayed heroic leaders, ideal
life, health, happiness, industrial
and agricultural scenes, family
life
• Only pro-communist
newspapers allowed
• Nationalized the printing press
and publishing houses so they
were under the control of the
government
Themes of propaganda
New man
Class enemy
• New selfless man that was
willing to sacrifice his life and
selfishness for the common
good of all “socialist way”
• Stressed hard work to increase
productivity and move country
forward and celebrate labor
• Show the bourgeoisie [high
class] as the enemy and targets
of the Great Terror
• Attacked kulaks [peasants
wealthy enough to own a farm
and hire labor] and forced
collectivization of goods
Themes of propaganda
New society
production
• Promoting a new, utopian
society that is:
• Promotion of five year plan and
becoming a mighty industrial
and agricultural power
• Classless and distinction based on
your function and what a good
worker you are
• Collectivization of all goods
• “great family”
• Mandatory happiness
Themes of propaganda
Mass social
movement
• Great emphasis on education
• Emphasis on family life and
gender roles
Peace-loving
• Promoting the idea that the
Soviet Union was a peace-loving
country and staying out of wars
Themes of propaganda
internationalism Personality cult
• Show revolution as vanguard of
a world-wide revolution
• They were the example of
societies to follow
• Promoting the actual leaders
themselves like Lenin and Stalin
• Role as leader/father of the
country
• Majestic/idiolized size of Stalin
compared to everyone else
Themes of propaganda
extermination
• Dehumanization of people that
were against the Communist
regime by calling them “insects
lice, bloodsuckers”
• Depict enemy as inferior,
repulsive, animal-like
Anti-religious
• Religion seen as a class enemy
and promoted atheistic
education
• Ridicule of religious values and
replacing them with science
• Saw religion as a threat to
communism; religious behavior
was linked to psychological
disorders and criminal behavior
Themes of propaganda
Anti-intellectualism
• Against such interests as fine art
and ballet
Anti- capitalism
• Saw capitalism and capitalist
countries as responsible for all
the ills in the world
• Depicts capitalists as moneyhungry and imperialist who like
to take what’s not there and
promotes inequality amongst its
people
"Comrade Lenin
Cleanses the Earth of
Filth" by Viktor Deni.
November 1920
“Under the Leadership of
the Great Stalin –
Forward to
Communism”.1948
Long Live the All Union
Day of Physical
Culture”. 1947.
Long Live the Bolshevik
Party. The Party of Lenin
and Stalin, the BattleHardened Vanguard of
the Soviet People, the
Inspiration and Organiser
of Our Victory”. 1950.
Same year, different
weather: The American
industry shrunk 22
percent, but the Soviet
industry grew with 20%
Late 1940s
Soviet Means
Excellence”
Death to World
Capitalism!” 1931
Building Socialism”
The train from Socialism
to communism – and
Comrade Stalin drives!”
Work hard to fight cold
and hunger”
“Us and Them”
“Death to World
Capitalism! Against the
White Terror, Fascism and
the threat of War”, 1932
“Be on Guard”
For the Motherland, for
Stalin, for World Peace,
for Communism."
Young builders of
Communism, go forth
toward the new heights
(achievements) in
education and labour.”
Glory to the MotherHeroine!"
"Work hard during
harvest time and you will
be rewarded with plenty
of bread."
1929 cover of the
magazine Bezbozhnik,
published by the League
of Militant Atheists”
What the October
Revolution has given to
working and peasant
women”
Long live the mighty
aviation of the
socialism country”