ions to settle his own fears. Terror is defined as the use of extensive, indiscriminate force. This was nothing new to Bolshevism. From its start people at all levels were intimidated and forced into change at the expense of freedom and life. With Stalin the use of terror was expanded to a new range and scope. Stalin and his Bolsheviks accepted terror as a legitimate social and political means of change and indeed a weapon. Stalin was not the first leader to use these tactics as a political weapon; however, this man certainly took it to a new level. Fear and terror reached throughout all socio-economic classes. Stalin would periodically purge the secret police, the NKVD, the townspeople and political opponents to ensure complete loyalty to him.Starting in late 1928 Stalin and his governing body launched a set of policies known as the "Five-year plans." These plans were designed to turn backward Russia into an industrial and military world power. The condition of Russian culture and technology when compared to the rest of the world at this time was dismal and embarrassing to Stalin. Most of Stalin’s plans for the rebuilding of Russia as a world power were accomplished in only one decade. Though this was in and of itself a great success, the peasants paid a heavy price in property, freedom and in many cases their lives. Many people starved to death from famine during this time and many that survived were killed off in Stalin's "purges" to rid him of opposition.One of Stalin’s innovations was to turn the people on themselves. This allowed Stalin to in effect have his eyes everywhere and in effect impose his pollicies in every facet of Russian life. This was done by offering rewards for turning people into the state for un patriotic actions. Any mistake on the assembly line could be looked upon as sabotage and hence the charge of treason would follow. People who did become agents of the state in the context w...
