Leaders, Ideas, and the Secret Police
Directions:  In order to more deeply understand George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, it will be helpful for you to have some background knowledge of key figures, ideas, 
and institutions from the Russian Revolution.  In class you were asked to consider the following topics:  Power, Corruption, Leadership, Rebellion, and an Ideal Society (Utopia).  
These topics will apply as you learn more about the people and theories below.  

Karl Marx

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ho/co
1. Who was Karl Marx
2. What were his views regarding capitalism and society’s classes? (Hint:  look under heading “Das Kapital”
3. What influence did Marx have on world politics?

Communism

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ho/co  
Use the left side contents section to guide your search for answers.
4. What is the basic philosophy of communism
5. On what points did Lenin and Marx agree/disagree? (see heading “Lenin’s Contributions”)
6. Were Communist governments truly democratic, as claimed by its leaders?  Explain. (see heading:  Communist Party State)
7. How fair was the centrally planned economy to the total population?
8. What did communism look like under Lenin
9. What did communism look like under Stalin?

Vladimir Lenin

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ho/co
10. Describe Lenin as a leader.  What qualities did he have that propelled him to the top during the Russian Revolution?

Leon Trotsky

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ho/co

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/trotsky_leon.shtm
11. What qualities did Trotsky possess that kept him from leading after Lenin’s death?
12. Describe the conflict between Stalin and Trotsky and how was it resolved?

 Joseph Stalin

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ho/co

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml
13. Describe Stalin as a leader.  Did he use or abuse power?  Explain.
14. How did Stalin help and hurt the Soviet citizens and the USSR during his reign as leader of the Soviet Union?

Secret Police (KGB)

http://www.freeserbia.net/Articles/2001/KGBTerror.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/11/26/weston26.xml

http://cr.middlebury.edu/public/russian/Bulgakov/public_html/NKVD.html
15. Read the above articles.  From your reading, list the jobs of the secret police under Stalin.  What tactics did they use?  What was their main purpose?