Politics and Insights from History

Obama’s appointment of a cyber czar, and his other government take overs, are very similar to what has happened from past dictators.  Two most notable examples are Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.

Hitler was elected by the German people.  With his foot in the door, he was well able to take over the German governmnet.  After securing his power with the Nazi win of the Reichstag election, Adolf Hitler outlawed Communist/Socialist writings and took control of all radio stations. This made it where his propaganda was heard and no dissenting views. Afterwards he proceeded to outlaw the Weimar Constitution of Germany and got rid of any rivals securing his power as dictator of Germany.

Here Hitler began taking control of the social and economical aspects of Germany. He outlawed religion replacing it with the worship of the Third Reich and its leader, him. He controlled the media so the people were unable to have access to any views other than those supported by the state. He provided jobs for the German people by outlawing the Jews from working. Many Germans were also sent to work in public works projects or conscripted in the German Army. Hitler also took over the education system in the country by requiring all children to be involved in the Hitler Youth where they received a steady dose of indoctrination and became good little Nazis. As Hitler changed the German identity and formed the country into what he thought it should be, the German people found themselves with less freedom and no security. Any dissent was squashed by the Gestapo. If suspected of helping a Jew a person and his entire family would be arrested without charge and without warrant. The people quickly discovered that they had been duped by Hitler and the Nazi Party. Hitler promised change and restoration of Aryan glory. The people voted for him as they were desperate for change.

The same thing happened in Russia. Life under the Czars was no picnic. Many people lived in poverty. They were sick and tired. So along come Lenin, and the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks won their revolution, Czar Nikolas and his family were killed and Lenin became the leader of Russia, which was renamed the USSR.

Lenin pushed his communist agenda through economic means. He nationalized all farms making it where the state owned all of the land in the country, the farmers were just allowed to work on it. They took what they thought was excess food and purchased crop at such low prices that the farmers lived in poverty. Some burned their crops and destroyed livestock rather than have it all go to the government. They were severely punished. Lenin also took over ownership of industry and abolished all private trade. Workers were paid with food ration cards instead of cash and even then it was never enough to feed a family.

The result of these two economic changes was continued poverty for the Russian people and famine. So Lenin had to change his policy slightly allowing ownership of private industry.

When Stalin took over the USSR he set about modernizing it. It is because of Stalin the Russia became industrialized, however, everything was owned by the state. He repealed any private ownership allowed by Lenin. He instituted a State Planning Commission which issued orders to industries, small businesses, and farms. In an effort to increase food production, Stalin had all farm collectivized. Farmers pooled their resources and labor, whatever crops produced were sold to the government at less than market price. Any surpluses they were allowed to keep and share among themselves.

Stalin had three five year plans he used to achieve his goals of industrializing the USSR. Though his plan did create roads, dams, and infrastructure necessary in the Soviet Union, it took its toll on the people. People worked in harsh conditions, punished severely for absenteeism, and paid little. This influx of forced industrialization forced many people to move into the cities where there was inadequate housing, poor medical facilities and schools. Consumer goods were in short supply, shops were empty, clothing was scarce, and everyday household items were nowhere to be found. Basically, the standard of living under Stalin’s five year plan fell as people were forced to live in a lower state of poverty than they did under the Czars.

Stalin also took over education. Children were required to go to government run schools where they learned to be good communists. There were also taught to spy on their family, their friends, and anyone they came across. Children made excellent informers when someone refused to worship the state or voiced their discontent with Stalin.