Stalinism facts for kids

A photo changed to show Vladimir Lenin with Stalin in the early 1920s.

Stalinism was a way of governing and a set of policies used by Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) in the Soviet Union. These ideas were in place from 1927 to 1953. Stalinism focused on making the country industrial very quickly. It also pushed the idea of "socialism in one country."

Under Stalin, the Soviet Union became a totalitarian state. This means the government had total control over people's lives. Farmers were forced to join collective farms. There was also a strong "cult of personality" around Stalin, meaning he was seen as a hero and leader who could do no wrong.

Stalinism also meant that the interests of other communist parties around the world had to follow the lead of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This party was seen as the most important for the communist revolution.

Stalin's ideas also led to more class conflict. The government used force to remove people they called the "bourgeoisie" from society. These were people seen as a threat to the communist revolution. This policy caused a lot of political violence and persecution. Not just rich people, but also working-class people who disagreed with the government were called "enemies."

Making the Soviet Union Modern

Stalin wanted to make the Soviet Union a strong, modern country very fast. He believed this was needed to reach communism. The Soviet Union was behind Western countries in terms of industry. Stalin thought a strong industry was important to protect the country from enemies.

Fast Growth and New Cities

This quick growth in industry also meant big changes for farming. Many farms were combined into large collective farms. Cities grew very fast too. Small villages turned into big industrial cities.

To speed up industrial growth, Stalin brought in materials, ideas, experts, and workers from Western Europe and the United States. He even made deals with big American companies, like the Ford Motor Company. These companies helped build the basic industries of the Soviet economy from the late 1920s to the 1930s. After their work was done, Soviet state-owned companies took over.

Images for kids

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  Joseph Stalin, the leader after whom Stalinism is named.

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  Members of the Chinese Communist Party celebrating Stalin's birthday in 1949.

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  A poster from the Stalinist era that says "The whole world will be ours!"

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  A statue of Stalin in front of the Joseph Stalin Museum, Gori.

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  British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Stalin at the Yalta Conference in February 1945. They were the three main Allied leaders during World War II.

See also

In Spanish: Estalinismo para niños