Continuity Of Party Journalism Theories Developed By Lenin And Stalin

Abstract

Party journalism was an important segment of the Soviet totalitarian regime. It played a leading role in manipulating the mass consciousness both during the preparation of the socialist revolution and socialist modernization of Russia. The theoretical basis of communist ideology was developed by Vladimir Lenin before the October 1917 coup. Under his direct leadership, the totalitarian journalism model was created. Stalin continued the Lenin's policy, building it into a rigid vertical of power and using repression against the opposition. If in historical science, the Stalinist contribution to the development of totalitarianism has been sufficiently studied, the role of Lenin as the founder of the concept of total control over the mass media has been insufficiently investigated. It is necessary to revise some of the assessments and theses of research conducted in the era of communist authoritarianism. In order to eliminate this gap, the article attempts to identify prerequisites for the development of the periodical press system under the authoritarian-totalitarian regime of the Bolshevik partocracy on the example of the North Caucasian media. In the national regions, totalitarianism manifested itself in an uglier form. For the first time, the works by the famous researcher and critic of the Stalinist totalitarian regime Abdurakhman Avtorkhanov, who was an eyewitness and participant in the events that took place in the region in the 1920–1930s, are introduced into scientific circulation.