Joseph Stalin-Psychopathology Of A Dictator

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“My last warm feelings for humanity died”, spoke Joseph Stalin, a megalomaniac and manipulative ruler, who also went by the name Uncle Joe (“Joseph Stalin-Psychopathology Of A Dictator”). Stalin used tactics that are similar to the ones used by Oceania’s Party in the novel 1984, by George Orwell. In this novel a totalitarian society is controlled by Big Brother, a symbolic figure for the ruling Party, who wields all power over the population. Strategies that are indistinguishable from the Soviet Unions’ are embedded in the text, mirroring what was happening in Russia during the time 1984 was written. The novel 1984 reflects what was happening in Stalin’s Russia, because of the similar methods of physical and psychological
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During Stalin’s rule over Russia, propaganda posters were used thoroughly inside of the country. This was used as a way to get inside of people's heads and subconsciously make them think about the party every time they saw a poster. With more posters came more government control over mental fear. Not to mention the fact that written on every poster was this message: “Anyone who tears down or covers up this poster - is committing a counter-revolutionary act”(). These influential posters make people interpret that by destroying a poster they will give the government more power. This is an ingenious way for the government to implant itself and its beliefs inside of people’s heads. Once again, this method of control is depicted by George Orwell and Oceania’s propaganda posters that tell the people they are always being watched. Both are techniques to keep the party's beliefs with people subconsciously no matter where they go. Another method was censorship in Russia, where Joseph Stalin would give the public fake information so that he could control what they knew. He knew he could use “his power and influence in government to ‘change’ history by censoring and doctoring historical records (particularly written records and photographs) to suit his purposes, glorifying him and antagonising his political enemies and thus consolidating his position as the undisputed leader of the Soviet Union”(). Since Stalin could choose what people knew and learned, he could control their mental intelligence making them succumb to his lies unknowingly. The use of psychological manipulation was an impactful strategy for gaining power by fear within Stalin’s

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