To turn Russia into a totalitarian state, Josef Stalin employed various tactics, two of which are:
1. By using propaganda to control what the citizens of Russia read and heard:
- Stalin controlled the media and disseminated propaganda to glorify himself and the Communist Party while suppressing dissenting voices.
- He used censorship to limit access to information and manipulate public opinion in favor of the government.
2. By executing or imprisoning anyone that opposed the communist party:
- Stalin carried out purges and initiated campaigns like the Great Purge to eliminate perceived enemies of the state within the Communist Party and society.
- Dissidents, intellectuals, political opponents, and even military leaders were arrested, sent to labor camps (Gulags), or executed to maintain absolute control over the population.
By implementing these oppressive measures, Stalin consolidated power, silenced opposition, and established a regime characterized by fear, surveillance, and totalitarian control over every aspect of life in Russia.
