Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-3-the-cult-of-stalin [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [IGCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history.md) › [Edexcel IGCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse.md) › The Cult of Stalin # The Cult of Stalin History: Edexcel IGCSE USSR, 1924-1953, topic 3.2.3 ## The Cult of Stalin Just as the tsar had been known as the ‘Little Father’, Stalin's personality was separated from any errors or bad decisions. Stalin wanted to be praised and adored. A cult of personality developed in the USSR. ### Why was there a cult? ![Why was there a cult?](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/ce5fa108-e586-4c8e-ae7a-db53b9b988a1/shutterstock_631524029.jpg) - Stalin was presented as a wise leader who cared about the concerns of ordinary people. - Creating a cult of personality around Stalin also enabled the leadership of the party to exploit the Russian people’s religious sensibilities. - Problems in society could now be blamed on ‘class enemies’ rather than the leadership of the nation. ### A true leader ![A true leader](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/9b888a25-b2fd-430c-a4b3-bd400ffcd174/shutterstock_92573227.jpg) - The cult put Stalin above all critique by the Russian population. He was the only person who could deliver true leadership to the people. - Stalin was also presented as the new Lenin, someone who could take the ‘cult of Lenin’ to new heights. - He was called the ‘Leader, Teacher and Friend’ of the Soviet Union. ### Stalin's transcendent role ![Stalin's transcendent role](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/3b681843-f490-401b-882d-a426a4b24776/shutterstock_218040022.jpg) - He was presented as a genius who understood communism and its politics in a way that no-one else could. He never used the word Stalinism, he was merely a servant of Marxist-Leninism. - Stalin was depicted as working alongside factories, farms and workers. This made him seem close to the people. - He was often surrounded by the Russian youth in propaganda, applauded by workers and gazed at lovingly. ## Test yourself on The Cult of Stalin - What was the tsar known as? - Which of the following about the cult of Stalin are correct? - What were the three labels given to Stalin? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/f1dc4f79-6e3d-4596-a089-7367ed6fee1e/section/6790623a-7376-4e92-93ba-1b59af1efee7/session) - Previous topic: [3.2.2 Media & the Cult of Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-2-media-and-the-cult-of-stalin.md) - Next topic: [3.2.4 History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-4-history.md) ## History: Edexcel IGCSE USSR, 1924-1953 contents ### 1 The Leadership Struggle, 1924-1929 - 1.1 Struggle for Power 1924-28 - [1.1.1 Stalin & his Rivals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-1-stalin-and-his-rivals.md) - [1.1.2 The End of Lenin & Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-2-the-end-of-lenin-and-stalin.md) - [1.1.3 Stalin & the Communist Party](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-3-stalin-and-the-communist-party.md) ### 2 Five Year Plans & Collectivisation - 2.1 Changes in Industry - [2.1.1 Industrialisation & Gosplan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-1-1-industrialisation-and-gosplan.md) - 2.2 Agriculture & Collectivisation - [2.2.1 Five Year Plans & Grain Hoarding](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-1-five-year-plans-and-grain-hoarding.md) - [2.2.2 Collectivisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-2-collectivisation.md) - [2.2.3 Kulaks](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-3-kulaks.md) ### 3 Purges, Show Trials & The Cult of Stalin - 3.1 The Use of Terror in the 1930s - [3.1.1 Purges](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-1-purges.md) - [3.1.2 NKVD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-2-nkvd.md) - [3.1.3 Show Trials](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-3-show-trials.md) - [3.1.4 Labour Camps](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-4-labour-camps.md) - 3.2 Propaganda & Censorship - [3.2.1 Art & Religion Under Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-1-art-and-religion-under-stalin.md) - [3.2.2 Media & the Cult of Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-2-media-and-the-cult-of-stalin.md) - [3.2.3 The Cult of Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-3-the-cult-of-stalin.md) - [3.2.4 History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-4-history.md) ### 4 Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-1941 - 4.1 Life in the Soviet Union - [4.1.1 Living Conditions & Ethnic Minorities in the USSR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/4-1-1-living-conditions-and-ethnic-minorities-in-the-ussr.md) ### 5 The Second World War, 1941-1953 - 5.1 USSR in the War - [5.1.1 1941-1942](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-1-1-1941-1942.md) - [5.1.2 1943-1945](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-1-2-1943-1945.md) - 5.2 Stalin & WW2 - [5.2.1 Stalin's Popularity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-2-1-stalins-popularity.md) - [5.2.2 Post-War Consolidation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-2-2-post-war-consolidation.md) - 5.3 Post-War Recovery - [5.3.1 Economic Recovery](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-3-1-economic-recovery.md) - [5.3.2 The USSR by 1953](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-3-2-the-ussr-by-1953.md)