Figure 1.--Dictators like Stalin, Hitler, and Mao loved to be depicted surrounded by groups of adoring children. The painting here, we think in the 1930s, is a good example. |
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It was not until the 20th century that a full-fleedged cult of peronality came into full force. Two factors were involved in the evolution of a true modern peronality cult: 1) technology and 2) socialism. First, modern techmologicl advances created mass media which provided the technocal capability to propigate a cult of personalaity (newspapers, magazines, radio, and television). Through mass media a leader with control of the state could spread his message to every single member of society, including the children through the schools and compulsory youth organizations. The second key component is the rise of socialism leading many people to adopt Marxist ideas -- on a basically relgious plane. Nationalism had always been an imprtant part of the cult of the leader, but socailism provided an appealing ideological message to add to patriotism. And it created one party states with absolute authority over the individual. This is not a theoretical statement, it is simple fact. Think about the noted cults of personality (Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Castro, Kim, etc.). They are all socialist not capitalist regimes. In addition to these obvious examples of personality cults, other Communist dictatoes such as many in Easrern Europe tried to establish their own smaller scale efforts.
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