Cult of personality is a term for what is perceived to be excessive adulation of a single living leader, especially a head of state. The term was coined by the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party Nikita Khrushchev in his 1956 "Secret Speech" denouncing Joseph Stalin to the 20th Party Congress. The phenomenon that Khrushchev described, however, is much older. A cult of personality differs from charismatic authority in that it has a negative connotation by definition, and is thus a pejorative term. It also differs fro ...

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Cult of personality - History Cult of personality - Characteristics Cult of personality - Examples

Read more here: » Cult of personality: Encyclopedia - Cult of personality

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Cult of personality, Cult of personality - History, Cult of personality - Characteristics, Cult of personality - Examples

Read more here: » Cult of personality: Encyclopedia II - Cult of personality - Characteristics

Throughout history there have always been leaders who have fostered adulation. For much of premodern times, absolute monarchies were the dominant form of government, and monarchs were almost always held in enormous reverence. Through the principle of the divine right of kings, rulers were said to hold office by the will of God, and thus criticism of any leader was interpreted not only as treason but also as blasphemy. Many leaders of the Roman Empire and Hellenistic Greece displayed features of today's cults of personality, as did Imperial China, with ancient Egypt especially noted for ...

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Cult of personality, Cult of personality - History, Cult of personality - Characteristics, Cult of personality - Examples

Read more here: » Cult of personality: Encyclopedia II - Cult of personality - History

Prabhakaran allowed and promoted a cult of personality to be created about himself. The cult is built around several factors. First, he is considered as a historical emergence along the “Great Chola Emperors”. He is often described as a marvel to be born after one thousand years. Thus, he was inserted into a powerful grand narrative for the Tamils. Second, he is described as a strong and action oriented personality among the weak and “babbling” moderates. By his violent and rash actions Prabhakaran produced the impression that ...

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Velupillai Prabhakaran, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Cult of personality, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Philosophy and Ideology of Prabhakaran, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Caste, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Women Rights, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Religion, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Tamil Nationalism, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Militarism Violence and Terrorism, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Economic System, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Environment, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Innovation Improvisation Technology Education, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Globalization, Velupillai Prabhakaran - Quotes by Prabhakaran

Read more here: » Velupillai Prabhakaran: Encyclopedia II - Velupillai Prabhakaran - Cult of personality

Stalin allowed a cult of personality to be created in the Soviet Union around both himself and Lenin. The embalming of the Soviet founder in Lenin's Mausoleum was performed over the objection of Lenin's widow, Nadezhda Krupskaya. Stalin became the focus of massive adoration and even worship. Numerous towns, villages and cities were renamed after the Soviet leader (see List of places named after Stalin) and the Stalin Prize and Stalin Peace Prize were named in his honor. He accepted grandiloquent titles (e.g. "Coryphaeus of Science," "Father ...

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Joseph Stalin, Joseph Stalin - Childhood and early years, Joseph Stalin - Marriages and family, Joseph Stalin - Rise to power, Joseph Stalin - Campaign against the Left and Right Opposition, Joseph Stalin - Stalin and changes in Soviet society, Joseph Stalin - Industrialization, Joseph Stalin - Collectivization, Joseph Stalin - Science, Joseph Stalin - Social services, Joseph Stalin - Culture and religion, Joseph Stalin - Purges and deportations, Joseph Stalin - World War II, Joseph Stalin - Post-war era, Joseph Stalin - Stalin as theorist, Joseph Stalin - Death, Joseph Stalin - Cult of personality, Joseph Stalin - Policies and accomplishments, Joseph Stalin - Other names, Joseph Stalin - Stalin in arts, Joseph Stalin - Notes

Read more here: » Joseph Stalin: Encyclopedia II - Joseph Stalin - Cult of personality

Throughout history there have always been leaders who have fostered adulation. Many leaders of the Roman Empire and Hellenistic Greece displayed features of today's cults of personality, as did Imperial China, with ancient Egypt especially noted for elevating monarchs to the status of god-kings. For much of premodern times, absolute monarchies were the dominant form of government, and monarchs were almost always held in enormous reverence. Through the principle of the divine right of kings, rulers were said to hold office by the will of God, which demonstrates the poten ...

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Cult of personality, Cult of personality - History, Cult of personality - Characteristics, Cult of personality - Examples

Read more here: » Cult of personality: Encyclopedia II - Cult of personality - History

The basic structure of the speech was as follows: Repudiation of Stalin's personality cult Quotations from the classics of Marxism-Leninism, which denounced the "cult of an individual" (i.e. the cult of personality, see above) Lenin's Testament and remarks by Nadezhda Krupskaya about Stalin's character Before Stalin, the fight with the Trotskyists was purely ideological; Stalin introduced the notion of the "enemy of the people" to be used as "heavy artillery" Stalin violated Party norms of col ...

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On the Personality Cult and its Consequences, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - History, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - Summary, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - External link

Read more here: » On the Personality Cult and its Consequences: Encyclopedia II - On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - Summary

The issue of mass repressions was recognized before the speech. In fact, the speech was prepared based on the results of a special party commission (Pospelov, Komarov, Aristov, Shvernik (chairman)), known as the Shvernik Commission, arranged at the session of the Presidium of the Party central committee on January 31, 1955. A direct goal of the commission was to investigate the repressions of the delegates of the XVII Party Congress. This commission presented evidence that during 1937–1938 (the peak of the period known as the Great Purge) ...

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On the Personality Cult and its Consequences, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - History, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - Summary, On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - External link

Read more here: » On the Personality Cult and its Consequences: Encyclopedia II - On the Personality Cult and its Consequences - History

Apotheosis means glorification, usually to a divine level, coming from the Greek word apotheoun, "to deify." Apotheosis is most commonly used to refer to the Roman pagan process whereby an Emperor was made into or recognized as a deity. Some Roman emperors underwent apotheosis upon their deaths. The process involved the creation of a waxen image of the emperor sitting in state, adorned with rich raiments and jewelry for ...

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Apotheosis - Other notes

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Velupillai Prabhakaran (sometimes spelled Velupillai Pirapaharan) (born November 26, 1954; Valvettithurai, Sri Lanka) is the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an independence movement and a rebel militia fighting for Tamil self-rule in North-East Sri Lanka. LTTE is banned as a terrorist organization in several countries including USA, Britain, India, Australia and Malaysia. In 1972, at the age of 18, he founded an organization named Tamil New Tigers (TNT). In 1975, after becoming heavily invol ...

Including:

Velupillai Prabhakaran - Cult of personality Velupillai Prabhakaran - Philosophy and Ideology of Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran - Caste Velupillai Prabhakaran - Women Rights Velupillai Prabhakaran - Religion Velupillai Prabhakaran - Tamil Nationalism Velupillai Prabhakaran - Militarism Violence and Terrorism Velupillai Prabhakaran - Economic System Velupillai Prabhakaran - Environment Velupillai Prabhakaran - Innovation Improvisation Technology Education Velupillai Prabhakaran - Globalization
Velupillai Prabhakaran - Quotes by Prabhakaran

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Wang Mang (王莽, pinyin: Wáng Măng) (45 BC–October 6, 23), courtesy name Jujun (巨君), was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded Xin (or Hsin) Dynasty (新朝, meaning "new dynasty"), ruling AD 8–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a "usurper," while some others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he ...

Including:

Wang Mang - Early life and career Wang Mang - First tenure as the commander of the armed forces Wang Mang - Retirement during Emperor Ai's reign Wang Mang - Regency and buildup of personality cult Wang Mang - As acting emperor Wang Mang - Early reign: mistakes
Wang Mang - Economic policies Wang Mang - Deterioration of the relationship with Xiongnu and other vassals Wang Mang - Paralysis and corruption of the government
Wang Mang - Middle reign: agrarian rebellions Wang Mang - Late reign: hopelessness Wang Mang - Reasons for Wang Mang's failure Wang Mang - Personal information

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Ann Hart Coulter (born December 8, 1961) is an American syndicated columnist, bestselling author, and television pundit. Her commentary has earned her a reputation as a strong critic of social and political liberalism. Her speaking and writing style is provocative and aggressive, with heavy use of sarcasm and hyperbole. Coulter is the author of four political commentary books, all of which have ...

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Ann Coulter - Personal background
Ann Coulter - Communication style
Ann Coulter - Books Ann Coulter - Media career and relations with media outlets Ann Coulter - Paula Jones controversy Ann Coulter - Criticism
Ann Coulter - Controversial statements regarding religious cults white separatists and domestic terrorists Ann Coulter - Controversial statements about minorities Ann Coulter - Controversial statements about women Ann Coulter - Criticism of Treason and Slander
Ann Coulter - Quotations Ann Coulter - Trivia Ann Coulter - Books by Ann Coulter Ann Coulter - Ann Coulter's Filmography

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Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the convert's previous beliefs; in some cultures (e.g. Judaism) conversion also signifies joining an ethnic group as well as adopting that group's religious beliefs. Conversion requires internalization of the new belief system. Proselytizing is the act of trying to convert another individual from the convertee's religion to the converter's religion. Religious conversion - Religious conversion in international law. T ...

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Religious conversion - Religious conversion in international law Religious conversion - The convert/proselyte Religious conversion - Conversion to Judaism
Religious conversion - Procedure Religious conversion - Conversion to Judaism in history Religious conversion - Relationship with converts Religious conversion - Differences between Jewish and Christian views
Religious conversion - Conversion to Christianity
Religious conversion - Reception of baptized persons into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church Religious conversion - Conversion of Catholics to Protestantism
Religious conversion - Conversion to Islam Religious conversion - Conversion to religions of Indic origin Religious conversion - Conversion to new religious movements and cults
Religious conversion - Conversion to Scientology
Religious conversion - Prohibition of conversion Religious conversion - Proselytism
Religious conversion - History Religious conversion - Issues involving proselytism

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Niyazov is an authoritarian leader and is well known for his personality cult. Believing Turkmenistan to be a nation devoid of a national identity, he has attempted to rebuild the country in his own image. He renamed the town of Krasnovodsk, on the Caspian Sea, Turkmenbashi after himself, in addition to renaming several schools, airports and even a meteorite after himself and his immediate family. In 2002 he renamed bread from chorek, the traditional Turkmen word, to Gurbansoltan edzhe, his long dead mother's name. Niyazov's fa ...

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Saparmurat Niyazov, Saparmurat Niyazov - History, Saparmurat Niyazov - Personality cult, Saparmurat Niyazov - Presidential decrees, Saparmurat Niyazov - Presidential policies and foreign relations, Saparmurat Niyazov - New calendar invented by Niyazov, Saparmurat Niyazov - Life cycle according to Niyazov, Saparmurat Niyazov - Monuments to Niyazov, Saparmurat Niyazov - Latest news

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The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, commonly known as Opus Dei (Latin for "Work of God") or Opus ("the Work"), is a prelature created by the Roman Catholic Church, composed of a prelate, secular priests, and lay people, whose mission is to spread the Catholic teaching that everyone is called to become a saint and an apostle. The Opus Dei Prelature "encourages Christians of all social classes to live consistently with their faith in the middle of ...

Including:

Opus Dei - Mission in the Catholic Church Opus Dei - Spiritual teachings: an overview Opus Dei - Structure: Catholic personal prelature Opus Dei - Vocation membership and training
Opus Dei - Vocation and membership Opus Dei - Instruction and training
Opus Dei - Doctrine demands and consequences
Opus Dei - Novelty of doctrine and controversies Opus Dei - Fidelity and truth vs. ultraconservatism Opus Dei - Demands: theological basis Opus Dei - Allegations of being a cult Opus Dei - Canonisation of Opus Dei's founder
Opus Dei - Opus Dei in society
Opus Dei - Mission and general strategy Opus Dei - Membership profile Opus Dei - Activities and work Opus Dei - Freedom and pluralism vs. far-right politics Opus Dei - Revolutionary or conservative?
Opus Dei - History of Opus Dei: A timeline Opus Dei - Footnotes

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After Stalin's death in 1953, his successor Nikita Khrushchev repudiated his policies, condemned Stalin's cult of personality in his Secret Speech to the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956, and instituted destalinization and liberalisation (within the same political framework). Consequently, most of the world's Communist parties, who previously adhered to Stalinism, abandoned it and, to a greater or lesser degree, adopted the moderately reformist positions of Khruschchev. The notable exception was the People's Republic of China, which under Ma ...

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Stalinism, Stalinism - Stalinism as political theory, Stalinism - Stalinist political economy, Stalinism - Points of view on Stalinism, Stalinism - Was Stalinism the logical conclusion of Leninism?, Stalinism - Continuity theory, Stalinism - Discontinuity theory, Stalinism - Bibliography

Read more here: » Stalinism: Encyclopedia II - Stalinism - Points of view on Stalinism

Key memetic qualities often (not all are always strongly present) shared by religion (particularly cults) and political religion include Structural differentiation between self and other, and demonisation of other (in theistic religion, the differentiation usually depends on adherence to certain dogmas and social behaviours; in political religion, differentiation may be on grounds such as race, class, or nationality instead) a charismatic figurehead, with messianic tendencies; if figurehead is dec ...

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Political religion, Political religion - Overview, Political religion - Aspects of political religions, Political religion - Suppression of religious beliefs, Political religion - Absolute loyalty, Political religion - Fear, Political religion - Externalize blame, Political religion - Cult of personality, Political religion - Propaganda, Political religion - Traditional cases, Political religion - Fascism, Political religion - Marxism-Leninism, Political religion - Possible or recent cases, Political religion - United States, Political religion - North Korea, Political religion - Turkmenistan, Political religion - Notes

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The term cult figure is difficult to define and different people may or may not qualify as cult figures by different standards. The term usually refers to someone who is admired by a small group of fans and not by the general public or at least not for the same reasons he or she is admired by the general public. For example, Christopher Walken and Crispin Glover are both known for their acting abilities to the general public but to their cult followings, Walken is better known for his recogni ...

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Cult figure, Cult figure - Who is a cult figure?, Cult figure - Selected list of cult figures, Cult figure - Actors and actresses, Cult figure - Directors, Cult figure - Writers, Cult figure - Singers and musicians, Cult figure - Television and radio personalities, Cult figure - Comedians, Cult figure - Advertising people, Cult figure - Adult entertainers, Cult figure - Others

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Emperor Ai died suddenly in 1 BC, without heir. In decisive action, Grand Empress Dowager Wang seized power back from Emperor Ai's male favorite and likely lover Dong Xian (who was the commander of the armed forces by this point) and summoned Wang Mang back to the imperial government. She put him in charge of the armed forces and the government. They summoned Prince Jizi of Zhongshan (the last surviving male issue of Grand Empress Dowager Wang's husband Emperor Yuan) to the capital to succeed Emperor Ai, and ...

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Wang Mang, Wang Mang - Early life and career, Wang Mang - First tenure as the commander of the armed forces, Wang Mang - Retirement during Emperor Ai's reign, Wang Mang - Regency and buildup of personality cult, Wang Mang - As acting emperor, Wang Mang - Early reign: mistakes, Wang Mang - Economic policies, Wang Mang - Deterioration of the relationship with Xiongnu and other vassals, Wang Mang - Paralysis and corruption of the government, Wang Mang - Middle reign: agrarian rebellions, Wang Mang - Late reign: hopelessness, Wang Mang - Reasons for Wang Mang's failure, Wang Mang - Personal information

Read more here: » Wang Mang: Encyclopedia II - Wang Mang - Regency and buildup of personality cult

Cult figure - Actors and actresses. André the Giant - 6 foot, 10 inch actor and professional wrestler dubbed the "eighth wonder of the world," also the inspiration of the street art campaign André the Giant Has a Posse Bruce Campbell - self-proclaimed B-movie actor, known for dropping memorable one-liners as Ash in the comedy/horror film The Evil Dead and its sequels Zbigniew Cybulski - actor known as the "Polish James Dean" Divine - drag queen who starred in many undergr ...

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Cult figure, Cult figure - Who is a cult figure?, Cult figure - Selected list of cult figures, Cult figure - Actors and actresses, Cult figure - Directors, Cult figure - Writers, Cult figure - Singers and musicians, Cult figure - Television and radio personalities, Cult figure - Comedians, Cult figure - Advertising people, Cult figure - Adult entertainers, Cult figure - Others

Read more here: » Cult figure: Encyclopedia II - Cult figure - Selected list of cult figures