IBSL2 SGQ7

QWs:
Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of one left wing and one right wing single-party ruler.
Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
In what ways did one ruler of a single-party state try to use education to support his regime?
MWH 369-378
3. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's political problems?
a. What were Russia's political problems?
i.

the government was unpopular
ii.

Stalin needed a new constitution to consolidate his power
iii.
some provinces wanted independence
b. The Purges and Great Terror
i. What were the "purges"?
Politburo sought to get rid of its less loyal members
ii. How were the purges justified?
1.
people called for the removal of Stalin
2.
there was an assassination attempt iii. What was the Great Terror? How was it carried out?
c. What was the purpose of the 1936 constitution? How did it work in practice?

it was supposed to establish democracy but it was just an illusion
d. What was Stalin's two part approach for holding the union together?
i.

allow the provinces their own cultures
ii.
Moscow was still the supreme power and could use force if necessary
4. What was everyday life and culture like under Stalin? a. Why was life hard?
i. food

in short supply, bad harvest leads to famine
ii. housing

increasing urban population leads to a housing shortage
iii. the nomenklatura

government officials had become the new bourgeoisie
b. What signs of improvement were there?
i.
no more rations
ii.

people took better care of themselves
iii.

leisure facilities
iv.

sanitation
c. The state, women, and the family
i. Why was life hard for women?
1.

women were being abandoned by the men
2.

they had to work and raise the children
ii. What two goals did the government have for women?
1.
get them into the workforce
2.

create the family units
iii. What policies did the government adopt towards women?
1.

provision of nurseries
2.

abortion was banned
3.
women got benefits when on maternity leave
iv. What was life like for upper-class or well-educated women?
they took care of their homes and led culturednes campaigns
d. Education
i. What improvements were made to education?
1.
expansion of free mass education
2.

literacy skyrocketed
ii. What were some of the goals of education?
1.

increase literacy
2.

create good little communist from all the children
e. Religion
i. Was was the Communist view of religion?

they support atheism
ii. What actions did the government take towards religious organizations?

Lenin attacked the orthodox church, but after his death the government was more tolerant, until the priest started opposing collectivisation and then Stalin launched an anti religion campaign, they finally settled their differences in WWII
iii. What was the people's reaction to those policies/actions?

the young saw the church as harmful, but people got upset over Stalin's campaign
f. Literature and theater
used as propaganda tools against the bourgeoisie
g. Art, architecture, and music
limited in content by the communist party

h. The cinema