The Cult of Personality

• Soviet Propaganda

  The creation of a pro-Stalin rewrite of history

  1936 Constitution: rights guarantee

  The brainwashing of young people through youth groups and schools

  An approved form of art and culture known as 'social realism'
• The Cult of Personality included Stalin being given a God/Hero like status and it had 5 main features:

  1. Stalin wanted to increase his power. By using this method, he could improve his reputation to near-God levels.
  2. Presenting himself as a genius and hero gave his rule legitimacy
  3. The 1930s were a tough time for many reasons, people could trust in Stalin, which was a comfort to them.
  4. Unity was created
  5. When things when wrong, people were unable to see reason to blame Stalin, even if he was at the root of the problem as he was with the purges. People instead turned on each other.
• Stalin as a political genius


  Propaganda:

  Shown as Lenin's right hand man - false it was Trotsky

  • Trotsky not mentioned in any textbooks

  "Stalin is the Lenin of today"

  • In reality was not close to Lenin nor a great political thinker

  Portrayed as the only one capable of actually achieving communism
• Stalin as the great economic planner


  Planned all 'successes' of the five year plans

  Posters to show this (factories, industrial sites)

  No responsibilities for failure of industrialisation - blamed it all on wreckers
• Pictures and statues of Stalin were displayed everywhere, people kept portraits of him inside of their homes.

  He was referred to as 'vozhd' which means 'big hero'
• Stalin as 'Man of the People'

  Shown by propaganda to be mixing with people, especially peasants.

  • Pictured with children, smoking a pipe as many people did at the time

  (In reality he barely ever associated with the people and most pictures on propaganda were set up)

  • Depicted as a 'family man' but in reality was uncaring and did it 'for the show'
• Stalin as Generalissimo 


  After WW2, wore striking white military uniform

  • Took credit for Russia's victory even though his involvement in the war was minimal
  • Actual generals were ignored/ weren't allowed to be celebrated