Calvin Solomon
Mr. Samuels
IB HL History
Thursday, May 5th, 2015
Compare and contrast the domestic policies of Mussolini and Stalin?
Introduction
● Intro
If there is one thing that history has shown us, it is that the world's doctors really
were not all that different. Sure they each were their own person and sure their
strategies varied from each other, but the goals of all dictators in history overlap in
an overwhelming way.
● Thesis:
While to a passive onlooker the the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini and the
Communist regime of Joseph Stalin might appear to have been distinctly unique, the
reality of these two regimes is that their leaders were actually quite similar - a fact
that is shown through their overlapping, economic, political, and social policies.
Politics and Economy
● Main Idea:
One of the distinct similarity between Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini was the
way in which they each controlled their political and economical systems.
● Stalin’s Strategies:
Joseph Stalin retained power between 1929-1953 for a number of reasons, and
while there are other, more impactful reasons, many historians argue that it was the
appeal of communism that allowed Stalin to retain power. Stalin's intention in his
industrial policy was to transform the Soviet Union into a Superpower by equipping
the country with a impressive industrial base. His aims were to catch up with
Western industrial output and to give the Soviet Union a strong economy which
would enable the country to equip and defend itself against foreign invasion. Stalin
aimed to achieve this through a series of Five Year Plans. Part of the appeal of
Communism is the equality of the people in both their daily lives and in the
economy. The Soviet people liked the fact that the resources of the country were
being used to help the people achieve equality with the West. Stalin used this to his
advantage within his Five Year Plans, as it emphasized rapid industrialization based
on these principles. To some extent these policies were successful, in only ten years
the Soviet Union had made up the fifty-year difference between itself and the West.
For example, production expanded, manufacturing increased, and industry was on
an upward slope. This transformation was remarkable considering the rest of the
world was suffering a severe economic depression during this period. These
achievements certainly reinforced Stalin's position as Soviet leader, however during
this period there was tremendous suffering and hardship of the peasants, work was
labor, intensive and hard, five million Kulaks were liquidated, starvation increased
for millions, enemies of Stalin and lazy workers were sent to labor camps and many
workers were forced into jobs and often made to travel hundreds of miles. As it will
soon become evident, while Stalin may have maintained control in part by the
appeal of communism, it was really the purging any opposition and the fear he
instilled within his enemies that enabled him to move forward with his regime.
● Mussolini's Strategies:
In the March election that followed the Acerbo Law, the Fascist Party got 65% of the
votes cast and, therefore, easily got the 2/3rds of parliamentary seats – a clear
majority. That people were intimidated into voting for the Fascists or that the
Fascists took ballot papers from those who might have voted against Mussolini were
brushed aside. The Fascists who were elected were bound to support Mussolini. In
this sense, the Acerbo Law was an important move to dictatorship in Italy.
The Battle for Grain:​
Mussolini wanted to make Italy economically stronger and
near enough self-sufficient. Hence his desire to grow grain. However, the plan was
to grow grain at the expense of fruit and vegetables which were cheaper to produce.
Italian grain became expensive at home and the price of bread rose. This hit the
poor the worst as bread was a major part of their diet. Rich farmers did well out of
this as they were guaranteed a good price for what they produced.
Fear
● Topic Sentence: ​
One of the distinct similarity between Joseph Stalin and
Benito Mussolini was the way in which they controlled their people.
● Stalin:
While the appeal of communism might have played a small role in the maintenance
of Stalin’s regime, it was the comprehensive spreading of fear, evident in events as
“The Great Purge” and the “Great Terror” that truly enabled unquestioned power.
The purges in the USSR started in the mid 1930’s and continued throughout the late
1930’s. Joseph Stalin had shared power with Zinoviev and Kamenev the time after
the death of Lenin (1924) and he had no intention of ever being put in that position
again. By the mid-1930’s Stalin believed that the Bolshevik Party represented a
threat to him and unless he did something about them they would remove him from
power. Stalin suspected everyone who had any power and wanted them dealt with.
For the purges to start Stalin wanted to give the process a degree of legal
legitimacy. In December 1934, the head of Leningrad, Sergei Kirov, was murdered.
What part Stalin played in this remains an issue that historians are not fully agreed
on. Stalin, adhering to his policy of making the whole issue look legitimate, asked
the Politburo for their support to purge the party so that certain elements could be
removed. The Politburo gave Stalin their support for this and the purges began. The
first people rounded up were labeled ‘Trotskyites’. They were put in prisons run by
the NKVD who, according to the very few that survived this experience, used both
physical and psychological torture to gain information about other ‘traitors’ to the
cause. The NKVD also did what it could to get signed confessions out of those they
dealt with. Stalin also upped the stakes when he signed a decree that made families
liable for the crimes committed by the husband or father. Children age 12 could also
be executed under this law. Basically no one was safe. However, the people that
had good reason to be very fearful were those who Stalin believed were a challenge
to his position and one of the most common charges made against an arrested
person was plotting to kill Stalin. The NKVD needed a confession and they proved
very adept at their work. One member of the NKVD stated that given the time he
could get anyone to sign a confession that they were “the President of the United
States”. Interestingly because of the nature of the work they did, there are no clear
numbers on the people arrested by the NKVD. If anyone enquired, then they
themselves would have been viewed as suspect. The nature of Stalin’s tactics do not
need clarification. It is clear that Stalin relied on fear to hold together his regime.
Fear was used to create a false sense of comfort ‘in the system’ but the fact remains
that it was always fear that drove Stalin’s regime. This was a time of terror and
there was not an ounce of genuine appreciation for communism.
● Mussolini
In 1927, a secret police force was set up called the OVRA and it was lead by Arturo
Bocchini. The death penalty was reintroduced for “serious political offences”. By
1940, the OVRA had arrested 4000 suspects but only 10 people from 1927 to 1940
were ever sentenced to death – much smaller than in Nazi Germany.
Propaganda
● Stalin​
:
As if punishing people for speaking badly about Stalin was not bad enough, public
worship of Stalin was encouraged. The Soviet Government utilized all available
resources and a wide range of means in the attempt to manipulate public opinion in
its favor. Propaganda was carefully designed to influence views and public
judgment. Through several strategies, the Soviet Government was able to strengthen
the desired belief of the achievements of communism and the greatness of itself.
The gradual development of a cult of personality was proof in itself that propaganda
was used to serve the needs of the Soviet leadership and not those of communism.
As western historians argue, any support for Stalin was the result of extreme use of
propaganda. The use of propaganda was exceptional in masking the failures of the
Five-Year Plans and promoting the successes of the government. Furthermore,
propaganda was implemented to create a feeling of union. The sickening part of it
all, is that Stalin genuinely believed he could trick people into truly respecting and
admiring him.
● Mussolini’s Strategies
Mussolini was the center of Fascism and portrayed as such. The cult of the
Mussolini was in many respects the unifying force of the fascist regime, acting as a
common denominator of various political groups and social classes in the fascist
party and the Italian society. This leadership cult helped reconcile Italians with the
regime despite annoyance with local officials. A basic slogan proclaimed that
Mussolini was always right
Children were taught at school, that the great days of modern Italy started in
1922 with the March on Rome. Children were taught that Mussolini was the only
man who could lead Italy back to greatness. Children were taught to call him “Il
Duce” and boys were encouraged to attend after school youth movements. Three
existed. Boys were taught that fighting for them was a natural extension of the
normal male lifestyle. One of the more famous Fascist slogans was “War is to the
male what childbearing is to the female.” Girls were taught that giving birth was
natural – while for boys, fighting was the same – natural.
Conclusion
While to a passive onlooker the the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini and the
Communist regime of Joseph Stalin might appear to have been distinctly unique, the
reality of these two regimes is that their leaders were actually quite similar - a fact
that is shown through their overlapping, economic, political, and social policies.