As a “Cult of Personality,” Joseph Stalin

Stalin came to power after Lenin’s death on January 24, 1924, through propaganda in which the newspapers depicted him as a great emperor. Joseph Stalin was working for Lenin’s army, which had contributed to the Soviet Union’s revolution. Of the seven members of the Politburo who were behind the Bolshevik revolution, Stalin collaborated closely with Lenin and Trotsky. The politburo, which was formed in 1917, had an impact on the surge of political, social, and cultural reforms. Following the recent history of Russia from the Tsarist regime to Lenin’s reign, autocratic rule was the most prevalent form of rule used in the Soviet Union. The idea of Stalin close relationship to Lenin and his participation in the revolutionary changes during Lenin rule propelled his persuasion for power, therefore, Stalin`s cult of personality and rule was established from Lenin`s legacy. Stalin`s cult of personality was a secret tool to safeguard his power throughout his regime in Russia, which had a great influence on his control for the country.

Joseph Stalin as a “Cult of Personality”

Stalin worked very hard on his duties as the Communist Party`s General Secretary appointed in 1922 and one of the politburo members in Lenin government. Joseph became so close to Lenin that he even made him his right hand man, which rose his fame across the entire Soviet Union. He played a big role in the government such as influencing socialism, cultural affiliations and political changes in Russia. He used the military to carry out several assassinations of the enemies as they try counter-revolution, and the process he also protected Lenin and the revolution cause. However, Lenin was so much disappointed in him for using excess force and power under him to cause violence and killings among his opponents (Figes 784). Lenin was a flawless kind of a leader; he embraced love and piece in his rule, although he had cult of personality, his reign favored each of his subjects.

Stalin hid his secret life under Lenin desirable rule as his right hand man, blackmailing the Russian people that he was a good leader but took advantage of the powers given to him as the General Sectary to carry out unnecessary killings. Lenin towards his death realized that Stalin change of character was getting out of control, tried to compile a political statement on the mistrust and awful behaviors against him. Lenin went further to urge the Communist Party members to take way his position as the General Secretary (Plamper 352). Stalin renounced the accusations and threatened that whoever will pay attention to the said statement would face the punishment for under the offence of being anti-Soviet. Stalin bypassed the rumor political statement and continued to establish his platform for power. Lenin died thereafter and in his funeral, Stalin succeeded him and took over the powers to rule the whole of Russia (Strong and Killingsworth 398). His close relationship with Lenin and being in the inner circle of the government compelled his persuasion to consolidate the authority. He did everything possible to win the hearts of the Russian people and promised to be an extension to of Lenin and his legacy. Stalin used propaganda to portray himself as the rightful legatee blackmail the citizen managed to convince the people and trusted him as the successor to Lenin`s journey to socialism.

The Maintenance of Joseph Stalin`s Cult of Personality

Stalin rule was limited to legacy of Lenin because he dedicated himself not to change the ambitious mission of Lenin but take over from where he left and achieve his goals of cultural, political change and socialism in Russia. The Lenin legacy guided how Stalin would control the country despite the killings he had made while being the General Secretary of Communist Party and the right hand man to Lenin (Bonnell 165). Stalin had developed a wanting character that did not please Lenin because he was afraid he would become horrible leader in the future. With the powers left in his dirty hands, Stalin was to strive to fit in Lenin`s shoes whose leadership was flawless to fulfil his promise and regain the trust to the people of Russia. Therefore, it followed that any behavior, idea, statement and move taken by Stalin was to correspond with that of Lenin.

Stalin established a cult of personality to hide his inner barbaric character from the people of Russia, the press played great role in Stalin propaganda. Cult of personality is a form of concentration of trust and all powers towards a particular compelling leader under the autocratic form of rule in a state. The cult was always influenced by the propaganda controlled by the state mass media aimed at portraying a fiction image of a leader to the large number of the public without any questioning. The state media extremely praise the leader with compelling titles such as brave, hardworking, courageous and wise in order to blackmail and flatter the public as they hide their private horrible life. The cult of personality enable such leaders to remain in power without unnecessary questioning and constant criticisms from the public or opposition (Strong and Killingsworth 398). They bar themselves away from justifying or held accountable for he actions they take that might adversely affect the country.

Stalin used the Soviet media to spread his propaganda to wash his hands from the brutal killings and bad leadership while under the Lenin`s regime. Working under the ghost legacy of Lenin, Stalin wanted to maintain the cult that existed and make the extension of Lenin left behind such as Bolshevik legacy of revolution. As a legatee of the flawless Lewin rule, he came up with tactical cult of personality fostering propagandas reinforced by the press to convince the mass of people to believe in his fake leadership. Displayed photos and other forms of images that portrayed Stalin having great moments together with Lenin when he was still alive (Figes 784). The pictures were displayed in every part of the Soviet including hanging them in houses and all over media channels to relay a message to the public. The images meant to play a fiction game in the minds of the people of Russia to believe that Stalin and Lenin had a close relationship and shared agendas together. Stalin defended himself before the public about the accusations of being a murderer and by Lenin, demanding his removal as General Secretary of the communist party. Stalin termed claims as forgery used by his political opponent to bring him down (Bonnell 165). The themed propaganda of displayed images across the country actually succeeded to persuade the people that due to their constant companion, Stalin had Lenin`s teachings in his mind thus was fit to continue the Bolshevik`s mission after his Lenin`s death.

The Soviet media coverage frequently applauded Stalin leadership, exaggerating how powerful, bold, wise and friendly he is to the people within and outside Russia. The press also portrayed Stalin the press as father figure because his close interactions with children, he could spend hours playing with children while being covered by media. His photos with kids were then exhibited for people to see as he exchanged gifts with the children from different ethnic backgrounds. The scenes pleased the parents who kept praising him for his good and open heart; hardly did they know all was propaganda aimed at buying their blind trust. Stalin`s cult image as the father figure aroused some controversies between Stalin and the with Orthodox priest who were referred to as ”fathers” by their church members (Gill 167). The term ”father” as referred to Stalin served as a symbolic meaning of incorporating the traditional beliefs and language in some kind of cult of personality. The cult also influenced the Christian traditions fostering the use of Stalinist models and Parades as result of devotions to icons. The press’ aim of reapplying several features of religion doctrine to Stalin`s cult of personality was to redirect the dedication of Christians from church towards the leadership of Stalin. The press ensured that everybody in the entire Soviet Union feared and adored Stalin for painting an opposite image of him to the public in order to sustain his regime without criticisms from his opponents in the opposition (Strong and Killingsworth 411). The cult of personality infringed the rights of the people to ask for justification of Stalin`s actions but instead were blinded by the sham praises fostered through the Soviet state media.

Stalinist cult of personality played a good role in Stalin`s control of the Russian State by means conditioning and indoctrinating the Soviet people through propagandas perpetuated by the media made Stalin appear god-like to them. The press efforts to reinforce the propagandas were exhibited in various event such as; suspending the Stalin`s portrait inform of a balloon above the waters of the Red sea during his birthday that marked his seventieth born. Stalinist forgery images of his persona everywhere in the country, for examples displaying huge banners that contained his images, posters hanged in every subject`s homes, painting of his face on walls and Soviet documentaries of his regime displayed in cinema shows across the country. On the positive side, Stalin facilitated education and movements for youths in the society regardless of ethnic backgrounds. He also boosted industrial sector and under his regime and the five years plan, Russia emerged as an industrial superpower (Tucker). State press aim was to impose the Stalin`s cult of personality in every part of the Soviet Union in persuading and convincing the people to believe Stalin would lead the country towards achieving socialism basing on their interest.

Turning Democracies into Dictatorship

There are various ways in which a country`s democracy turn into a platform on which tyrannical dictators rise to power. It is quite often that countries that experience economic instabilities and divided population are likely to face political turmoil and in the process, paves room for establishment of dictatorial governments (Strong and Killingsworth 399). When the dictators rise to power, they divide the pollution into clusters through propaganda thereby forming a group of people against one enemy whom they feel would challenge their government. They install fear upon their opponents for them to give up in fighting for freedom and run for their lives. There are other cases where dictators rise to power without political or economic instability. It happens when hostile leaders take over powers that due to social pressure, they create political turmoil until dictatorship comes to hold (Tucker 154). They make their way to power by seeking support of the people through sham propaganda.

The cult of personality penetrated its roots in the entire society and everybody felt the presence of Stalin. The cult manifested into the system that even during the famines people would rather starve to death but retained the pictures of Stalin on their walls at their home places. It also installed fear among his subjects and especially the opposition, for example when mentioning his name in any political or a public function, people would stand up as a sign of respect, failure to that would arraign someone in court. His decision would not be questionable by any member of the opposing side of the bench. When any member of the opposition identified a wrongdoing and challenged Stalin, they were would be arrested and eventually killed in cold blood by the military under the orders of Stalin (Montefiore 252). He used the illiterate personnel to work in industries long hours without food in the name of educating their children; therefore, they would work at least 10 hours and went home empty stomach. Stalin dictatorship was serene as he blinded the people by his fake smile at the children and beautiful pictures of his image everywhere in the country. Therefore, it is worth noting that, the citizen themselves support the rise of dictators to power in essence that they would benefit from their leadership influenced by cheap propagandas reinforced to them by the leaders.

In summary, despite his brutality, Joseph Stalin blindly made people to have trust in his leadership believing there will be success within his reign. Supported greatly by press, Stalin managed to hide his pangs in the widely spread propagandas of his desired rule and fostered a great number of people including the opposition, to respect and fear him as being not only strong and principled but a sensitive leader. Therefore, Stalin`s cult of personality was a secret tool to safeguard his power throughout his regime in Russia, which had a great influence on his control for the country. He maintained his position in the Soviet Union and his name remained the talk of the day in the modern history.

Works Cited

Bonnell, Victoria E. The Iconography of Power: Soviet Political Posters Under Lenin and Stalin. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999. Print.

Figes, Orlando. Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin’s Russia. Reprint Ed. New York: Picador, 2008. Print.

Gill, Graeme. ”The Soviet Leader Cult: Reflections on the Structure of Leadership in the Soviet Union.” Political Science 10.2 (1980): 167–189. Print.

Montefiore, Simon Sebag. Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar. Kindley Ed. London: W&N, 2014. Print.

Plamper, Jan. The Stalin Cult: A Study in the Alchemy of Powe. First edit. Berlin, Heidelberg: Yale University Press, 2012. Print.

Strong, Carol, and Matt Killingsworth. ”Stalin the Charismatic Leader?: Explaining the ‘Cult of Personality’ as a Legitimation Technique.” Politics, Religion & Ideology 12.4 (2011): 391–411. Print.

Tucker, Robert. Stalin in Power: The Revolution From Above, 1929–1941. New York: Norton, 1990. Print.