Some of theses major social aspect were the fear instituted by the government, the secret police and overall social unrest. Stalin, did the most damage to Russian society. “Under Stalin, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant society into an industrial and military superpower. However, he ruled by terror, and millions of his own citizens died during his brutal reign,” (History). This can be seen by his use of collective farming and the 5 Year Plan, which ultimately resulted in a lower standard of living for the people. In order to end opposition Stalin had those against him sent to labor camps where they would be forced to undergo grueling work and physical torture. The majority of those that were sent to these labor camps, also knows as Gulags, were farmers who refused to work on the collective farms. The most severe consequence to refusal to work was immediate death. Both Stalin and Lenin ruled with having people fear the government by using totalitarianism. This expanded even further with the use of the secret police that would spy in schools and encourage people to reveal anyone who was against the leader. Those people would be sent to the Gulags in Siberia and would most likely never return (History). During Stalin’s dictatorship religious persecution was another example of the social unrest under his rule. He stated, “God must be out of Russia in five years,” (Heywood). Stalin targeted …show more content…
During the time of the Soviet Union under Communism, hundreds of thousands of people were unjustly killed and lived under constant fear of the government. Freedoms were almost next to none, as one could ace extreme punishment for statements against the nation. Freedoms such as these are now considered basic human rights that should be upheld. The ending of the Brezhnev Doctrine was a major turning point to the collapse of the Soviet Union because it allowed to bring in western influences which inspired to the major changes in Russia. These reforms, such as glasnost and perestroika, granted many social freedoms for the people. Without censorship, the people were able to know whats really going on in the government. They were able to voice a minimal opinion in government and had somewhat of a democracy. The collapse lead to new and positive changes in the government, economy and majorly improved the daily lives for the