was stalin a fair leader

[286] The Left Opposition believed the NEP conceded too much to capitalism; Stalin was called a "rightist" for his support of the policy. [318] Bukharin and several other Central Committee members were angry that they had not been consulted about this measure, which they deemed rash. [556] Within the Soviet Union he was widely regarded as the embodiment of victory and patriotism. [611], In October 1949, Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong took power in China. "[694], Stalin adhered to the Leninist variant of Marxism. [550] Soviet forces continued to expand until they occupied all their territorial concessions, but the U.S. rebuffed Stalin's desire for the Red Army to take a role in the Allied occupation of Japan. 1893 class table of Gori Religious School including a photo of Stalin. The U.S. also offered financial assistance to countries as part of the Marshall Plan on the condition that they opened their markets to trade, aware that the Soviets would never agree. 18991904: Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party, 19051912: Revolution of 1905 and its aftermath, 19121917: Rise to the Central Committee and editorship of, 19271931: Dekulakisation, collectivisation, and industrialisation, 19451947: Post-war reconstruction and famine, In the Soviet Union and its successor states, Despite abolishing the office of General Secretary in 1952, Stalin continued to exercise its powers as the, After Stalin's death, Georgy Malenkov succeeded him as both. [65] His second attempt, in January 1904, was successful and he made it to Tiflis. This attack proved unsuccessful. [521] There remained mutual suspicions between Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who were together known as the "Big Three". [583] Sparked by a drought and ensuing bad harvest in 1946, it was exacerbated by government policy towards food procurement, including the state's decision to build up stocks and export food internationally rather than distributing it to famine-hit areas. [547] Stalin was pressed by his allies to enter the war and wanted to cement the Soviet Union's strategic position in Asia. However these factors aided him to become future leader of Russia. [594] It launched the Marshall Plan in June 1947, with which it sought to undermine Soviet hegemony in eastern Europe. [128] Stalin returned to Saint Petersburg, where he continued editing and writing articles for Pravda. Their economy grew, markedly unaffected by the Great Depression, and people usually like leaders who bring prosperity. [81] They launched attacks on the government's Cossack troops and pro-Tsarist Black Hundreds,[82] co-ordinating some of their operations with the Menshevik militia. [77] Amid the growing violence throughout Georgia he formed further Battle Squads, with the Mensheviks doing the same. [199] Stalin thought it necessary because unlike Lenin he was unconvinced that Europe was on the verge of proletarian revolution. [333] Stalin responded to the uprisings with an article insisting that collectivisation was voluntary and blaming any violence and other excesses on local officials. [211] His use of state violence and terror was at a greater scale than most Bolshevik leaders approved of;[212] for instance, he ordered several villages to be torched to ensure compliance with his food procurement program. 1922 (29th December) The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was created. [611] It was aimed for economic autarky within the Eastern Bloc. [625] The U.S. went to the UN Security Councilwhich the Soviets were boycotting over its refusal to recognise Mao's governmentand secured military support for the South Koreans. To eradicate accused "enemies of the working class", Stalin instituted the Great Purge, in which over a million were imprisoned, largely in the Gulag system of forced labour camps, and at least 700,000 executed between 1934 and 1939. [563], Despite his strengthened international position, Stalin was cautious about internal dissent and desire for change among the population. [560] In 1946, the state published Stalin's Collected Works. There were two Five Year Plans - first from 1928 to 1933 and the second from 1932 to 1937. [683] Volkogonov believed that Stalin's Marxism was shaped by his "dogmatic turn of mind", suggesting that this had been instilled in the Soviet leader during his education in religious institutions. Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 14 (ANI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday took a veiled dig at Governor RN Ravi without mentioning his name during a Youth wing event organised to remember DMK founder Peraringar Anna. "If Stalin was such a bad guy, why do all these people have to resort to attributing to him almost entirely quotes he didn't make, or manipulate his actual quotes just enough to make them seem evil?" Joseph Stalin 19 likes Like "We don't let them have ideas. [844] When she died, Stalin allegedly said: "This creature softened my heart of stone. [96] After the heist, Stalin settled in Baku with his wife and son. Although concerns were expressed that adopting this new post on top of his others would overstretch his workload and give him too much power, Stalin was appointed to the position. [750] He often dined with other Politburo members and their families. [666] A memorial service in his honour was also held at St George the Martyr, Holborn in London. [600] He erroneously claimed that the initial German advance in the early part of the war was not a result of Soviet military weakness, but rather a deliberate Soviet strategic retreat. For other uses, see. [338] In 1928, the first five-year plan was launched, its main focus on boosting heavy industry;[339] it was finished a year ahead of schedule, in 1932. [436] Party functionaries readily carried out their commands and sought to ingratiate themselves with Stalin to avoid becoming the victim of the purge. [325] Stalin barred kulaks from joining these collectives. [514], By November 1942, the Soviets had begun to repulse the important German strategic southern campaign and, although there were 2.5million Soviet casualties in that effort, it permitted the Soviets to take the offensive for most of the rest of the war on the Eastern Front. [267], Lenin died in January 1924. [69] Stalin detested many of the Mensheviks in Georgia and aligned himself with the Bolsheviks. [570] In the war's aftermath, some of Stalin's associates suggested modifications to government policy. [189] He strongly supported Lenin's formation of the Cheka security service and the subsequent Red Terror that it initiated; noting that state violence had proved an effective tool for capitalist powers, he believed that it would prove the same for the Soviet government. Illness and Inhumanity in Stalin's Gulag", "Reactions of Chinese Citizens to the Death of Stalin: Internal Communist Party Reports", "Stalin, the Pact with Nazi Germany, and the Origins of Postwar Soviet Diplomatic Historiography", "The Scale and Nature of German and Soviet Repression and Mass Killings, 193045", "Controversy in Moscow: Stalin icon revered", "The Stalin Puzzle: Deciphering Post-Soviet Public Opinion", "Georgia Divided Over Stalin 'Local Hero' Status in Gori", "Russians name Stalin as the most 'outstanding' figure of all times", "Stalin as a Neo-Pagan Deity in Contemporary Russia", "Moscow's Memory Wars: Putin seeks to whitewash Russia's Stalinist past", "Josef Stalin: communist, murderer - saint? Whereas Lenin believed that all countries across Europe and Asia would readily unite as a single state following proletariat revolution, Stalin argued that national pride would prevent this, and that different socialist states would have to be formed; in his view, a country like Germany would not readily submit to being part of a Russian-dominated federal state. Submitted by sgel on June 17, 2011. [281], In the wake of Lenin's death, various protagonists emerged in the struggle to become his successor: alongside Stalin was Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Bukharin, Alexei Rykov, and Mikhail Tomsky. [149] In or about December 1914, their child was born but the infant soon died. [39] Stalin devoted himself to Marx's socio-political theory, Marxism,[40] which was then on the rise in Georgia, one of various forms of socialism opposed to the empire's governing tsarist authorities. [709] Following Lenin's death, Stalin contributed to the theoretical debates within the Communist Party, namely by developing the idea of "Socialism in One Country". [622], At the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union and the United States divided up the Korean Peninsula, formerly a Japanese colonial possession, along the 38th parallel, setting up a communist government in the north and a pro-Western government in the south. After the Bolsheviks seized power in the October Revolution and created a one-party state under the new Communist Party in 1917, Stalin joined its governing Politburo. Initially Stalin refused to repeal the Sino-Soviet Treaty of 1945, which significantly benefited the Soviet Union over China, although in January 1950 he relented and agreed to sign a new treaty between the two countries. "[590] He personally took a keen interest in the development of the weapon. It repels the effects of negativity, prevents abuse of power and of justice, is contagious and promotes self-accountability. [19] Although he got into many fights,[20] Stalin excelled academically,[21] displaying talent in painting and drama classes,[22] writing his own poetry,[23] and singing as a choirboy. During a brief period back in Tiflis, Stalin and the Outfit planned the ambush of a mail coach, during which most of the group although not Stalin were apprehended by the authorities. [727] Service also noted that Stalin "would never be Russian", could not credibly pass as one, and never tried to pretend that he was. [652] He was moved onto a couch and remained there for three days. Since the 1920s, he'd ruled with an iron fist. [849] In later life, he disapproved of Svetlana's various suitors and husbands, putting a strain on his relationship with her. [440] He was particularly concerned at the success that right-wing forces had in overthrowing the leftist Spanish government,[441] fearing a domestic fifth column in the event of future war with Japan and Germany. The real motivation for the terror, according to Harris, was an excessive fear of counterrevolution. After having examined the true factors that led to Trotsky not being able to become the sole leader of Soviet Russia since he was the favorite Candidate, this investigation came to the conclusion that Stalin's political skill and ruthlessness was the most important cause of Trotsky's downfall because his weaknesses were only limited to his complacency and party views. [105] They also kidnapped the children of several wealthy figures to extract ransom money. [124] In July, he arrived at the Siberian village of Narym,[125] where he shared a room with a fellow Bolshevik Yakov Sverdlov. [852] Stalin regarded Vasily as spoiled and often chastised his behaviour; as Stalin's son, Vasily nevertheless was swiftly promoted through the ranks of the Red Army and allowed a lavish lifestyle. . The Truth Stalin suffered a major stroke on March 1, 1953, but treatment was delayed from reaching him as a direct result of his actions over the previous decades. [617] Across Eastern Europe, the Soviet model was enforced, with a termination of political pluralism, agricultural collectivisation, and investment in heavy industry. This article reassesses Stalin's attempts to construct legitimacy through the development of a 'cult of personality', built through an overt co-option of the charismatic authority generated by Lenin's revolutionary leadership. [645] He was very interested in the reigns of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. Comrade Stalin constantly warns us that not conceit but modesty distinguishes the Bolshevik, that any leader, in whatever post he may be, is the servant of the people. [795] Other historians linked his brutality not to any personality trait, but to his unwavering commitment to the survival of the Soviet Union and the international MarxistLeninist cause. [645] The amount of written material that he produced also declined. [7] His parents were Besarion Jughashvili and Ekaterine Geladze. [561] In 1947, it brought out a second edition of his official biography, which eulogised him to a greater extent than its predecessor. Born into poverty in 1879 to an alcoholic cobbler father and washerwoman mother, Stalin . [604] He demanded that war reparations be paid by Germany and its Axis allies Hungary, Romania, and the Slovak Republic. [577] He demoted Molotov,[578] and increasingly favoured Beria and Malenkov for key positions. [869], Stalin strengthened and stabilised the Soviet Union. [230] Stalin lost the argument, after which he accepted Lenin's decision and supported it. [379] At the same time, penal sanctions became more severe; at Stalin's instigation, in August 1932 a decree was introduced wherein the theft of even a handful of grain could be a capital offence. [412], Stalin often gave conflicting signals regarding state repression. [670] The collective leadership included the following eight senior members of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, listed according to the order of precedence presented formally on 5 March 1953: Georgy Malenkov, Lavrentiy Beria, Vyacheslav Molotov, Kliment Voroshilov, Nikita Khrushchev, Nikolai Bulganin, Lazar Kaganovich and Anastas Mikoyan. On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin died of a stroke. [603] Despite initial catastrophes, the Soviet Red Army repelled the German invasion and captured Berlin in 1945, ending World War II in Europe. Stalin had called for the Chinese Communists to ally themselves with Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists, viewing a Communist-Kuomintang alliance as the best bulwark against Japanese imperial expansionism. [872] Stalin's necessity for Soviet Union's economic development has been questioned, and it has been argued that Stalin's policies from 1928 onwards may have only been a limiting factor. [716] He was of the view that if they became fully autonomous, then they would end up being controlled by the most reactionary elements of their community; as an example he cited the largely illiterate Tatars, whom he claimed would end up dominated by their mullahs. [219], The Bolsheviks won the Russian civil war by the end of 1919. [296] In October 1927, Zinoviev and Trotsky were removed from the Central Committee;[297] the latter was exiled to Kazakhstan and later deported from the country in 1929. C. Lenin believed that Stalin would be a fair and honest leader, so he ensured Stalin's position before he died. [26], In August 1894, Stalin enrolled in the Orthodox Spiritual Seminary in Tiflis, enabled by a scholarship that allowed him to study at a reduced rate. [321] By July 1930, over 320,000 households had been affected by the de-kulakisation policy. [490] He purged the military command; several high-ranking figures were demoted or reassigned and others were arrested and executed. Lenin was seen as the figure head of the Communist Party, Stalin used this to his advantage in winning over the Russia population. I saw Hitler many, many times, and Goering and Goebbels. [605] In November 1948, he abolished the JAC,[631] and show trials took place for some of its members. Stalin's original Georgian name was Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili (, While forced to give up control of the Secretariat almost immediately after succeeding Stalin as the body's. [367] Through the Communist International, Stalin's government exerted a strong influence over Marxist parties elsewhere in the world;[368] initially, Stalin left the running of the organisation largely to Bukharin. [420], Stalin orchestrated the arrest of many former opponents in the Communist Party as well as sitting members of the Central Committee: denounced as Western-backed mercenaries, many were imprisoned or exiled internally. [629] He was further angered by Israel's growing alliance with the U.S.[630] After Stalin fell out with Israel, he launched an anti-Jewish campaign within the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. [425] There were mass expulsions from the party,[426] with Stalin commanding foreign communist parties to also purge anti-Stalinist elements. [298] Some of those United Opposition members who were repentant were later rehabilitated and returned to government. [272] Embarrassed by its contents, Stalin offered his resignation as General Secretary; this act of humility saved him and he was retained in the position. [108] There he led the imprisoned Bolsheviks, organised discussion groups, and ordered the killing of suspected informants. Lenin called for establishment of a new federation named the "Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia", reflecting his desire for expansion across the two continents and insisted that the Russian state should join this union on equal terms with the other Soviet states. [668] The Central Committee met on the day of his death, after which Malenkov, Beria, and Khrushchev emerged as the party's dominant figures. [166] After the demonstration was suppressed, the Provisional Government initiated a crackdown on the Bolsheviks, raiding Pravda. [397] A number of authorised Stalin biographies were also published,[398] although Stalin generally wanted to be portrayed as the embodiment of the Communist Party rather than have his life story explored. Stalin was born in the Georgian town of Gori,[2] then part of the Tiflis Governorate of the Russian Empire and home to a mix of Georgian, Azeri, Armenian, Russian, and Jewish communities. Firstly, the divisions within the party, made his task of eliminating people less complicated, he only had individuals, not groups of people against him. [665] The Chinese government instituted a period of official mourning for Stalin's death. [261] The USSR's formation was ratified in December 1922; although officially a federal system, all major decisions were taken by the governing Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Moscow. [471], The speed of the German victory over and occupation of France in mid-1940 took Stalin by surprise. Asatar Bair, a self . [893] During Stalin's lifetime, his approved biographies were largely hagiographic in content. [12] Besarion became an alcoholic[13] and drunkenly beat his wife and son. [487], Going against the advice of Zhukov and other generals, Stalin emphasised attack over defence. [754] His choice of favoured holiday house changed over the years,[755] although he holidayed in southern parts of the USSR every year from 1925 to 1936 and again from 1945 to 1951.

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