Stalin was one of the most vicious tyrants of the 20th century. Despite his humble origin, the combination of his life experiences and personality help shaped him into a cruel yet effective leader. He rose to an unprecedented level of power as a result of his own capabilities and his understanding of the Communist Party. His rivals and other prominent Bolshevik leaders underestimated him due to the lack of charisma as well as his education and dysfunctional family background. Stalin managed to build his power base and became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union. During his brutal reign, he further developed Marxism-Leninism. To a certain degree, it is impossible to consider Stalin’s interpretation of Marxism-Leninism and its influence on
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Institutionally and Ideologically, Lenin laid out the foundation for Stalin. However, Stalin’s idea of ‘socialism in one country’ and practices of the purges were an almost distortion of what Marx and Lenin had done. “Stalinism was not an adaptation of Marxism but, on the contrary, a qualitative and fundamental aberration from both Lenin and Marx, and from revolutionary communism in general” (Todd & Waller, 2015, pg. 8). Stalin’s brand of socialism deviates from the key principles of Marxism-Leninism in many areas, including economic policy, collectivization, use of violence, and the development of the personality cult. Stalin’s continued to adopt the single party dictatorship that was created by Lenin. The system of terror was where Stalin deviated from Leninism. Stalin institutionalized terror, and made it a normal feature of government. By contrast, Lenin’s system of terror was only temporary, and was used during the Civil Was as an emergency measure. Although the “war fear” argument is inherent in the Marxism-Leninism ideology, Stalin “exaggerated and exploited it to justify” his ferocious actions (Naimark, 2010, pg. 136). Likewise, Stalinism deviated so much from the basic principle of collectivization. Marxism-Leninism set the foundation for Stalin, institutionally and ideologically, but Stalin distorted it. Stalin’s character and …show more content…
There is no question that the purges of 1930s were violent and savage. Stalin’s terrorizing behavior stemmed from paranoia and his desire to be an absolute autocrat. Similar to Hitler, Stalin showed grandiosity, cruelty, his underlying insecurity, and an ultimately flawed reality that he has envisioned of. During the Great Purges, Stalin arrested, tortured, and executed millions of innocent citizens and his fellow Communist Party members. Stalin ensured that no one challenged his leadership through the exercise of mass terror. He suffered from a “paranoid delusional system” (Naimark, 2010, pg. 106). In order to satisfy his fantasy of mass enemies and traitors within the Party, Stalin constructed the idea of witch hunting for enemies and traitors. From Stalin’s perspective, there are many two-faced members who “vociferously supported Stalin and the Soviet state on the surface but in fact work as spies and agents for foreign powers” (Naimark, 2010, pg. 107). His insecurity grew and he saw his own members are potential threat to his consolidation of
Institutionally and Ideologically, Lenin laid out the foundation for Stalin. However, Stalin’s idea of ‘socialism in one country’ and practices of the purges were an almost distortion of what Marx and Lenin had done. “Stalinism was not an adaptation of Marxism but, on the contrary, a qualitative and fundamental aberration from both Lenin and Marx, and from revolutionary communism in general” (Todd & Waller, 2015, pg. 8). Stalin’s brand of socialism deviates from the key principles of Marxism-Leninism in many areas, including economic policy, collectivization, use of violence, and the development of the personality cult. Stalin’s continued to adopt the single party dictatorship that was created by Lenin. The system of terror was where Stalin deviated from Leninism. Stalin institutionalized terror, and made it a normal feature of government. By contrast, Lenin’s system of terror was only temporary, and was used during the Civil Was as an emergency measure. Although the “war fear” argument is inherent in the Marxism-Leninism ideology, Stalin “exaggerated and exploited it to justify” his ferocious actions (Naimark, 2010, pg. 136). Likewise, Stalinism deviated so much from the basic principle of collectivization. Marxism-Leninism set the foundation for Stalin, institutionally and ideologically, but Stalin distorted it. Stalin’s character and …show more content…
There is no question that the purges of 1930s were violent and savage. Stalin’s terrorizing behavior stemmed from paranoia and his desire to be an absolute autocrat. Similar to Hitler, Stalin showed grandiosity, cruelty, his underlying insecurity, and an ultimately flawed reality that he has envisioned of. During the Great Purges, Stalin arrested, tortured, and executed millions of innocent citizens and his fellow Communist Party members. Stalin ensured that no one challenged his leadership through the exercise of mass terror. He suffered from a “paranoid delusional system” (Naimark, 2010, pg. 106). In order to satisfy his fantasy of mass enemies and traitors within the Party, Stalin constructed the idea of witch hunting for enemies and traitors. From Stalin’s perspective, there are many two-faced members who “vociferously supported Stalin and the Soviet state on the surface but in fact work as spies and agents for foreign powers” (Naimark, 2010, pg. 107). His insecurity grew and he saw his own members are potential threat to his consolidation of