Communist Political Dominance

How significant was control of the media in the achievement of communist political dominance in the years 1917-1941?
A communist government assumed control of the USSR in 1917, following the Bolshevik Revolution. They consolidated their power through the Civil War of 1917-1921, and through several radical political, social and economic changes. Control of the media was significant to a large extent in advancing their control; it was used as a tool to suppress opponents’ views and thereby grant a large platform to spread their own. Many would argue that there were more significant factors in achieving communist political dominance in these years, such as the use of terror and control over religion. However, there is less evidence to support

They consolidated their power and influence through the imprisonment, torture, and killing of rivals to political power. This allowed them to rule by fear, to create an atmosphere of fear and reverence surrounding their leader, and to consolidate their control of the people. For example, during the leadership struggle following Lenin’s death, Stalin removed his main rivals to power though show trials. These well publicised trials and executions were a display of the solidity and intimidation of Stalin’s rule, and an opportunity to remove rivals while deterring further opposition. Most significantly, the Trial of the 16, 1936, led to the execution of Zinoviev and Kamenev, two high-profile contenders for the position of leader after Lenin’s death. Terror was also used to consolidate communist political dominance on a state-wide level; it was not just a tool used to eliminate specific rivals in the higher echelons of the party. Stalin’s great terror of 1935-38 was responsible for the deaths of around 10 million Soviet citizens, including members of the military, and kulaks, richer peasants who were believed to have bourgeois views. This use of terror was important in the achievement of communist political dominance as it eliminated rivals in politics, while tightening the party’s control over the people of the USSR. However, this

Specifically, the influence of policies towards religion and terror could be seen as the most important, yet these arguments are limited by the inconsistency of policies towards religion and the involvement of the media in spreading the impact of the terror. There are much stronger arguments to support the view that control of the media was the most significant factor. The media, as a tool to suppress dissenting views and promote the communists’ own views and agenda was the most important aspect of the communists’ achievement of political dominance at this