Cult of personality  

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The term came to prominence in 1956, in [[Nikita Khrushchev]]'s secret speech ''[[On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences]]'', given on the final day of the [[20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. In the speech, Khrushchev, who was the [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|First Secretary of the Communist Party]] – in effect, the leader of the country – criticized the [[Stalin's cult of personality|lionization and idealization]] of [[Joseph Stalin]], and by implication, his communist contemporary [[Mao Zedong's cult of personality|Mao Zedong]], as being [[Revisionism (Marxism)|contrary]] to [[Marxism|Marxist doctrine]]. The speech was later made public and was part of the "[[de-Stalinization]]" process in the Soviet Union. The term came to prominence in 1956, in [[Nikita Khrushchev]]'s secret speech ''[[On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences]]'', given on the final day of the [[20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. In the speech, Khrushchev, who was the [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|First Secretary of the Communist Party]] – in effect, the leader of the country – criticized the [[Stalin's cult of personality|lionization and idealization]] of [[Joseph Stalin]], and by implication, his communist contemporary [[Mao Zedong's cult of personality|Mao Zedong]], as being [[Revisionism (Marxism)|contrary]] to [[Marxism|Marxist doctrine]]. The speech was later made public and was part of the "[[de-Stalinization]]" process in the Soviet Union.
 +==Background==
 +[[File:Statue-Augustus.jpg|thumb|187px|[[Augustus of Prima Porta]], 1st century CE]]
 +{{See also|Imperial cult}}
 +
 +The [[Imperial cult of ancient Rome]] identified [[emperors]] and some members of their families with the divinely sanctioned authority ([[auctoritas]]) of the [[Ancient Rome|Roman State]]. Throughout history, [[monarch]]s and other [[Head of state|heads of state]] were often held in enormous reverence and imputed super-human qualities. Through the principle of the [[divine right of kings]], in medieval Europe for example, rulers were said to hold office by the will of [[God]]. [[Ancient Egypt]], [[Imperial Japan]], the [[Inca]], the [[Aztecs]], [[Tibet]], Siam (now [[Thailand]]), and the [[Roman Empire]] are especially noted for redefining monarchs as "god-kings."
 +
 +The spread of democratic and secular ideas in [[Europe]] and [[North America]] in the 18th and 19th centuries made it increasingly difficult for monarchs to preserve this aura. However, the subsequent development of [[mass media]], such as [[radio]], enabled political leaders to project a positive image of themselves onto the masses as never before. It was from these circumstances in the 20th century that the most notorious personality cults arose. Often these cults are a form of [[political religion]], and they may share some traits with other kinds of [[cult]], especially while they are still forming.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}
 +
 +The term "cult of personality" probably appeared in English around 1800–1850, along with the French and German use. At first it had no political connotations but was instead closely related to the [[Romanticism|Romantic]] "cult of genius." The political use of the phrase came first in a letter from [[Karl Marx]] to German political worker, Wilhelm Blos, 10 November 1877:
 +
 +
 +:Neither of us cares a straw of popularity. Let me cite one proof of this: such was my aversion to the personality cult [orig. ''Personenkultus''] that at the time of the International, when plagued by numerous moves [...] to accord me public honor, I never allowed one of these to enter the domain of publicity [...]
 +
==See also== ==See also==
* [[Authoritarian personality]] * [[Authoritarian personality]]

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A cult of personality, or cult of the leader, arises when a country's regime uses the techniques of mass media, propaganda, the big lie, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies to create an idealized, heroic, image of a leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. A cult of personality is similar to apotheosis, except that it is established by modern social engineering techniques, usually by the state or the party in one-party states and dominant-party states. It is often seen in totalitarian or authoritarian countries.

The term came to prominence in 1956, in Nikita Khrushchev's secret speech On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences, given on the final day of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In the speech, Khrushchev, who was the First Secretary of the Communist Party – in effect, the leader of the country – criticized the lionization and idealization of Joseph Stalin, and by implication, his communist contemporary Mao Zedong, as being contrary to Marxist doctrine. The speech was later made public and was part of the "de-Stalinization" process in the Soviet Union.

Background

[[File:Statue-Augustus.jpg|thumb|187px|Augustus of Prima Porta, 1st century CE]] Template:See also

The Imperial cult of ancient Rome identified emperors and some members of their families with the divinely sanctioned authority (auctoritas) of the Roman State. Throughout history, monarchs and other heads of state were often held in enormous reverence and imputed super-human qualities. Through the principle of the divine right of kings, in medieval Europe for example, rulers were said to hold office by the will of God. Ancient Egypt, Imperial Japan, the Inca, the Aztecs, Tibet, Siam (now Thailand), and the Roman Empire are especially noted for redefining monarchs as "god-kings."

The spread of democratic and secular ideas in Europe and North America in the 18th and 19th centuries made it increasingly difficult for monarchs to preserve this aura. However, the subsequent development of mass media, such as radio, enabled political leaders to project a positive image of themselves onto the masses as never before. It was from these circumstances in the 20th century that the most notorious personality cults arose. Often these cults are a form of political religion, and they may share some traits with other kinds of cult, especially while they are still forming.Template:Citation needed

The term "cult of personality" probably appeared in English around 1800–1850, along with the French and German use. At first it had no political connotations but was instead closely related to the Romantic "cult of genius." The political use of the phrase came first in a letter from Karl Marx to German political worker, Wilhelm Blos, 10 November 1877:


Neither of us cares a straw of popularity. Let me cite one proof of this: such was my aversion to the personality cult [orig. Personenkultus] that at the time of the International, when plagued by numerous moves [...] to accord me public honor, I never allowed one of these to enter the domain of publicity [...]

See also

See also


Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Cult of personality" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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