How did Joseph Stalin develop a cult of personality to assert his authority? (1 point)
A. By taking control of the government, he was able to gain support.
B. By taking control of the media, he portrayed himself as a strong leader.
C. He used this development to deport authors who opposed him.
D.He used this development to execute hundreds of thousands.
B. By taking control of the media, he portrayed himself as a strong leader.
B. By taking control of the media, he portrayed himself as a strong leader.
The correct answer is B. By taking control of the media, he portrayed himself as a strong leader.
To understand why this answer is correct, let's break down the options:
A. By taking control of the government, he was able to gain support.
While it is true that Stalin took control of the government, this alone does not explain how he developed a cult of personality. Gaining support through control of the government is a separate aspect of his rise to power.
B. By taking control of the media, he portrayed himself as a strong leader.
This option is correct. Stalin took control of the media, which allowed him to shape the public perception of himself. He created an image of a powerful and charismatic leader through propaganda, controlling the narrative and reducing dissent.
C. He used this development to deport authors who opposed him.
Although Stalin did repress political dissent and target intellectuals, deporting authors alone does not explain how he developed a cult of personality. This option focuses on his actions against opposition rather than the creation of his personal image.
D. He used this development to execute hundreds of thousands.
While it is true that Stalin executed hundreds of thousands of people during his rule, this does not directly relate to the development of a cult of personality. Executions were a means of eliminating perceived threats and maintaining control, but they were not the primary tactic used to cultivate his public image.
In summary, option B is correct because Stalin's control of the media allowed him to shape his public image and cultivate a cult of personality around himself.