Activity 3

The case of Rákosi-era propaganda and the cult of personality

Basic didactic information

 After WWII, Hungary entered the Soviet sphere. The Communist Party under Mátyás Rákosi seized full control, building a dictatorship modeled on Stalin’s USSR. Posters became key tools for indoctrination, promoting socialist realism, collectivization, and industrial goals.

Propaganda of journalistic information:

In 1950s Hungary, propaganda became a defining part of everyday life. Following the Soviet model, the communist regime built its own propaganda system, whose goals were to strengthen the legitimacy of the regime and to influence people’s way of thinking.

Main tools of propaganda:

● Radio: The party-state used radio as an effective tool for spreading propaganda, which by the 1950s had reached even rural villages.

● Press: Szabad Nép, the official newspaper of the Hungarian Working People’s Party (MDP), played a key role in disseminating propaganda.

● Film: Films were turned into instruments of propaganda, with popular athletes and actors promoting communist programs.

● Art: Art was also placed at the service of propaganda; works created in the style of socialist realism promoted the values of the regime.

Propaganda in everyday life:

● Mandatory political debates: Workers were required to participate in compulsory political debates at workplaces, where they had to follow the ideological line set by the party-state.

● Mass organizations: The Pioneer movement, the DISZ (Dolgozó Ifjúság Szövetsége – Union of Working Youth), and the MHK (Ready for Work and Combat movement) all played a role in spreading propaganda.

● Holidays: Traditional Christian holidays were pushed into the background, while new holidays were introduced, such as Constitution Day on August 20.

Objectives:

● Strengthening the legitimacy of the communist regime

● Influencing people’s thinking

● Promoting the values of the system

● Suppressing opposition views

Timing

5 hours 

Introductory phase (45 minutes); 

Development phase (135 minutes); 

Closing phase (45 minutes).

Learning Dynamics

INTRODUCTION

Materials: video, posters

Whole class activity: video-viewing, collecting keywords and expressions, mentimeter wordcloud from the keywords, completing worksheet

Cult of personality and everyday life.

1. Divide the class into 5 groups. Provide them posters and excerpts from propaganda articles about Rákosi.

2. Guiding questions:

What do you see in these posters?

Who is celebrated or glorified?

How are workers, peasants, and children represented?

What “truth” is hidden by these images?

 Sources:

1. Poster: “Rákosi leads the nation

Translation of the insciption: "Forward to the Congress of the Young Fighters for Peace and Socialism!" 

2. Poster: “The Agricultural Cooperative: The Path to Abundant Harvests and Prosperity.” 

3. Poster: “Fulfill your delivery obligation.”

Development of the Activity

 Part 1. 

Students analyze:

 What message is literal?

 What manipulative techniques are used?

Who is targeted? 

 Who is being deceived?

Groups present their conclusions: how community presides over individuals. 

Part 2. 

The class is divided into four groups. Each is assigned a youth organization from the 1950’s (Junior Pioneers, Pioneers, Hungarian Young Guards and KISZ (Communist Youth Association). Their task is to do research, answer the questions on the worksheet and present their findings to the whole class. 

Questioning and Reflections

Why did the Rákosi regime need to glorify its leader so strongly?

How do personality cults manipulate history and identity?

How do posters merge political goals with the cult of Rákosi?

 Can you identify modern leaders using similar propaganda strategies?

Links to Materials

Video for the introduction phase: https://filmhiradokonline.hu/watch.php?id=10275# 

Posters of the Rákosi era: https://www.xxszazadintezet.hu/a-manipulacio-muveszete-plakatok-a-rakosi-rendszerben/

Collectivization propaganda: https://kronologia-archivum.retorki.hu/kronologia/mezogazdasag-kollektivizalasaakatok_1945