TOPIC 9 - The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe 1924-2000
The Cult of Personality
"Western scholars have remained hypnotised by Stalin's cult of personality, and their obsession with him has led to studies of the Great Purges period that provide no detailed investigation of the political and institutional context. Rather than placing these events in these contexts, scholars have often discussed the Great purges only against the background of Stalin's personality and categorised Stalinism simply as a the undisputed rule of an omniscient [all-knowing] and omnipotent [all-powerful] dictator. Contradictions and confusion are seen as manifestations of Stalin's caprice, and too often the political history of the Stalin period has merely been the story of Stalin's supposed activities." -J. Arch Getty, The Origins of the Great Purges, 1985, p. 205 |
Task 1: The Cult of Personality
Instructions
1. Read the scanned text "Corin & Fiehn - 230-238.pdf", "Society and culture in Stalin's Russia.pdf" and pages 135 to 136 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)"
2. This task has four sections to complete.
3. Section A – answer the question.
4. Section B – Read the sources (particularly the primary sources from both scanned texts) and complete the table (see below).
5. Section C – Complete the table (see example) addressing the following question: How did Stalin Control USSR?
6. Section D – Russian Reaction to the Cult: How did the Russians react to the Cult of Personality?
1. Read the scanned text "Corin & Fiehn - 230-238.pdf", "Society and culture in Stalin's Russia.pdf" and pages 135 to 136 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)"
2. This task has four sections to complete.
3. Section A – answer the question.
4. Section B – Read the sources (particularly the primary sources from both scanned texts) and complete the table (see below).
5. Section C – Complete the table (see example) addressing the following question: How did Stalin Control USSR?
6. Section D – Russian Reaction to the Cult: How did the Russians react to the Cult of Personality?
Section A - Answer the following question
What is the "Cult of Personality"?
Section B - Complete the table: How did Stalin's "cult of personality" develop?
Section C - Complete the table (see example) addressing the following question:
How did Stalin Control USSR?
Make sure you provide specific details (i.e. primary sources examples, pictures, etc.) from all the resources provided.
How did Stalin Control USSR?
Make sure you provide specific details (i.e. primary sources examples, pictures, etc.) from all the resources provided.
Section D - Russian Reaction to the Cult: How did the Russians react to the Cult of Personality?
Mark Scheme
Exam Questions
Paper 3 Questions
Paper 3 Questions
- Compare and contrast the role that propaganda played in the establishment of any two single-party states in Europe between 1919 and 1939. (Nov 2009)
- “Stalin’s domestic and foreign policies between 1945 and 1953 lacked consistent aims.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Nov 2009)