State control of mass media and propaganda under Lenin

Question 1

How did Lenin view the press and media?

Answer 1

Lenin viewed the press and the media as central to advancing the revolution and ensuring the Communists retained power

Question 2

How did the new government establish control of the press and media?

Answer 2

Announcing the Decree on the Press in November 1917

Creating a state monopoly of advertising in November 1917

Nationalising the Petrograd Telegraph Agency in November 1917

Establishing a Revolutionary Tribunal of the Press in January 1918

Establishing the All-Russia Telegraph Agency (ROSTA)

Question 3

What did the Decree on the Press in November 1917 do?

Answer 3

It gave the government the emergency powers to close any newspapers which supported a counter-revolution

Question 4

What did creating a state monopoly of advertising in November 1917 ensure?

Answer 4

It ensured that only the government could publish adverts

Question 5

What did nationalising the Petrograd Telegraph Agency in November 1917 do?

Answer 5

It gave the new government control of electronic means of communication

Question 6

What did nationalising the Petrograd Telegraph Agency in November 1917 do?

Answer 6

It gave the new government control of electronic means of communication

Question 7

What did establishing a Revolutionary Tribunal of the Press in January 1918 do?

Answer 7

With the power to censor the press; journalists and editors who committed ‘crimes against the people’ could be punished by the Cheka, who were empowered to impose fines or prison sentences, confiscate property or exile offending writers

Question 8

What was the All-Russia Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) solely responsible for?

Answer 8

The All-Russia Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) was solely responsible for distributing news

Question 9

What did Lenin initially close down and how did this change by mid-1918?

Answer 9

Lenin initially closed down papers that supported the Tsar or the Provisional Government

However, by mid-1918 Lenin had outlawed opposition socialist papers as well

Question 10

How many newspapers had the Communists closed by 1921?

Answer 10

2000

Question 11

How many printing presses had the Communists closed by 1921?

Answer 11

575

Question 12

What was Pravda?

Answer 12

Pravda was a Russian newspaper that served as the official organ of the Communist Party, providing a platform for propaganda and political messaging during the Soviet era

Question 13

How did the policies introduced by the new government impact Pravda?

Answer 13

Pravda gained a much higher circulation, and by the early 1920s it was one of the best selling publications in the Soviet Union

Question 14

What was the cult of Lenin?

Answer 14

The cult of Lenin refers to the personality cult that developed around Vladimir Lenin, the founder and first leader of the Soviet Union, which elevated him to a near-divine status and portrayed him as a heroic figure who was central to the success of the Communist revolution and the establishment of the Soviet state

Question 15

How did Lenin view the cult of Lenin?

Answer 15

The cult of Lenin was one example of a type of propaganda that emerged early in the regime that Lenin did not approve of

Question 16

What is significant about January 1918 in relation to mass media and propaganda?

Answer 16

January 1918 saw the publication of the first photograph of Lenin

Question 17

How was Lenin perceived and treated following an assassination attempt?

Answer 17

Following an assassination attempt, Lenin was described in essentially religious terms

His survival was described as ‘miraculous’, and the emphasis on his willingness to suffer and sacrifice his life for his people made Lenin into a modern day Christ

Question 18

In 1919, during the Civil War, even though the resources were scarce, what were produced?

Answer 18

Busts and statues of Lenin were produced

Question 19

Lenin’s photograph also appeared with various titles. What was one of these titles?

Answer 19

‘Leader of the Revolutionary Proletariat’

Question 20

During 1919 and 1920, what emerged?

Answer 20

A new style of writing about Lenin emerged

Question 21

During 1919 and 1920, a new style of writing about Lenin emerged. What did this new style of writing entail?

Answer 21

Lenin was increasingly depicted as being humane, a man of the people, a man who refused luxury, a visionary and a man of great power

Question 22

From 1919, what was Lenin often photographed wearing and what did it imply?

Answer 22

From 1919, Lenin was often photographed wearing a cap, as the cap implied that Lenin was approachable and down to earth

Question 23

Why did Lenin allow the cult to grow despite him being uncomfortable?

Answer 23

Lenin was aware of these trends and was uncomfortable with them, but he understood their importance and therefore allowed the cult to grow

The media and propaganda focus on Lenin gave the revolution and the Communist Party a face, someone the Russian people could identify with and support

Question 24

In the first years of the revolution, the government collaborated with avant-garde artists to produce posters promoting the revolution - give an example of a poster that featured Lenin and describe it.

Answer 24

‘A Spectre is Haunting Europe - the Spectre of Communism’ was one early poster which showed a grim and determined Lenin standing in front of a red banner pointing to the west

Question 25

Who introduced Glavlit?

Answer 25

Felix Dzerzhinsky

Question 26

What was Glavlit?

Answer 26

A new organisation which oversaw a more systematic censorship regime

Question 27

Glavlit’s censorship worked on the following principles:

Answer 27

• The GPU was put in charge of policing every publication available in the Soviet Union
• New professional censors were employed
• All books were investigated for anti-Communist bias
• The GPU compiled a list of banned books