Myths Surrounding Joseph Stalin

1Joseph Stalin was born on December 18, 1878. His given name is Josef Vissarionovich Djugashvili or Ио́сиф Виссарио́нович Ста́лин in Russian. He was born in what would now be Georgia in a place called Gori, Tiflis Governerate, Russian Empire. Stalin’s family lived in poverty all throughout his childhood. His father worked as a cobbler mending shoes and his mother was a maid. He was very violent towards his son and was an avid alcoholic. The family’s home was a small shack off of a dirt road. They had a serious problem with the home constantly being wet with sewage. Stalin had many issues with disease as a child. First he caught smallpox at the age of seven. As a result of the smallpox, scars were left on his face. This would become an area of embarrassment for Stalin throughout his childhood. Stalin also caught blood poisoning as a child. This was a result of one of the brutal beatings his father gave him while drunk. Because of this one of his arms became deformed and stopped growing causing him to lose use of the hand. Because of the intense beatings Stalins father gave him, he began to hate him. One Stalin became old enough he tried to fight back so his father would not beat his mother. Stalin received education at his local church school because of Czar Alexander III’s educational

At the age of 10, Joseph “Stalin” Djugashvili attended Gori’s religious elementary school. His mother, Yekaterina, wanted him to be a priest and would usually beat her son if he son whenever he misbehaved. These beatings were never as bad as those

Joseph Stalin was the most controversial person in Russia who has come into power. This has come from his 5 year plan that he has assembled when Russia was in shambles, due to the civil war, the economy failing, and no industrial equipment. His job now was to restore Russia and make it into an industrial powerhouse.

Joseph Stalin, from the time that he was a low level revolutionary to the years that he spent as the dictator of the Soviet Union, always knew what he needed to do to achieve his goals. His organized rise to power allowed him to gain a steady flow of followers who would support him for decades to come. Stalin received a minor government position in 1917, but by the time a new leader was needed in 1924, he “had turned the largely routine post of Party general secretary into the most powerful office in the Soviet Union” (“Joseph Stalin) and “had built a personal empire for himself through his control over committee appointments at all levels . . . expand[ing] the leading Party organs with his supporters, who then voted against his rivals”

Joseph Stalin greatly influenced Russia in the years 1924 through 1932. His rise to this power can be explained by the Russian Revolutionary experience that allowed him to gain authority in Russia. Although historians often refer to Stalin as a ruthless, mindless dictator, he redirected the Russian Revolution to major economic development. Stalin’s character in Russia during the Revolution catalyzed the many events that took place during the time period. Because of Stalin’s ability to both appeal to the masses, and take advantage of events, like Lenin’s death, Stalin was able to rise to power. Essentially, the Russian Revolution fostered the development of Stalin’s dictatorship leading the country into a state of economic growth and influence. The Revolution fostered Stalin’s ability to maintain a central leadership, use violence to gain control, and regenerate a previously disconnected economy.

Plato’s account of a tyrant is close to that of the “great” Soviet Leader, Joseph Stalin. In Book IX of the Republic, Glaucon notes that under a tyrannic rule, a city or state will be tragic and depressing; additionally, it is also stated that city will always experience more freedom and content under a king. (Bloom, 257). This account is a key factor in comparing Stalin with the Republic, as Stalin’s ambitions were similar with Plato’s descriptions. Using other descriptions from Plato’s Republic, it clear that Joseph Stalin fits Plato’s account of a tyrant. The Soviet regime under Joseph Stalin suffered greatly and the tyrant rule of Stalin was oppressive, restrictive, and produced great amounts of casualties. We are comparing how Plato’s account for a tyrant is accurate of the results of Joseph Stalin; that a city will experience freedom with kingship, as well as darkness and scrutiny under a tyranny.

Stalin’s cult of personality, derived through propaganda, censorship and education, was an essential element of Stalinism which had a significant impact on the society and culture of the Soviet State between until 1941. Stalin’s 50th birthday on 21 December 1929 initiated the moment in Stalin’s dictatorship in which the leader became an object of worship. Millions of party member came to compare Stalin to Lenin, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Eventually the cult of Stalin saw him as a political, military, scientific and philosophical genius. While the people feared Stalin, they were still drawn to his patriotism and love for the Motherland.

"In conclusion, although Stalin died on 5th March 1953 at Kuntsevo Dacha near Moscow, Russia, but also, Stalin's reputation as a ruthless master of deception remains intact. Also, he is consider as one of the first western historians to document the violence perpetrated by the brutal leader describes how his demise saved citizens of the Soviet Union from greater

The concept of Stalinism, being the ideologies and policies adopted by Stalin, including centralization, totalitarianism and communism, impacted, to an extent, on the soviet state until 1941. After competing with prominent Bolshevik party members Stalin emerged as the sole leader of the party in 1929. From this moment, Stalinism pervaded every level of society. Despite the hindrance caused by the bureaucracy, the impact of Stalinism was achieved through the implementation of collectivization and the 5-year plans, Stalin’s Political domination and Cultural influence, including the ‘Cult of the Personality’. This therefore depicts the influence of Stalinism over the Soviet State in the period up to 1941.

Thus, the “Cult of Personality” was flourishing. Propaganda glorifying Stalin and Soviet ideals brainwashed the minds of Russian people. Stalin successfully impressed his socialist philosophies on millions of workers and peasants. Over time, socialism transformed into Stalinism, and it took hold. Stalin was able to hypnotize people towards one belief, the love of Stalin. When they saw Stalin being portrayed heroically everyday in the news or on posters, they began to idolize him. Stalin is like Big Brother; he was the main focus and had total power over the people and their actions.

Very similar to the way Big Brother from 1984 operated, Stalin ruled his country with total terror, and squashed anyone that made even the tiniest noise that was out of line. Stalin ruled with an iron fist and made his people believe that everything he was doing was wonderful and sublime. Stalin made himself a role-model/celebrity and became part of the national anthem. Instead of burning books, Stalin rewrote books that cast him in the best light, ad brainwashed his people into knowing and believing that Stalin was basically a God. Stalin also used children to further his brain-washing of his realm.

McKinney, PhD, S. (n.d.). Joseph Stalin's Life, Death and Legacy. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/ss/Stalin.htm

Khruschev 's speech helped the creation of myths that surrounded Stalin to become stronger. Khruschev uses Lenin in his speech to counter Stalins behaviour/methods, and exaggerate it to a certian extent. Khruschev said that Lenin only used extreme methods in the most 'neccesarry cases ', when the soviets were in harder times and 'struggling for survival ' although Lenin estblished, 'Apparatus of the repression that was of considerble size '(Mohan, book 1, 2009, pg 136-7), 'In the immediate aftermath of revoulution and it was frequently used in the 1920 's by Lenin against those he regardedas opponents - even those who supported the goals of the revolution and the construction of a socialist society ' (Mohan,

However the fear provoking methods of the show trials and the NKVD were not the only ways by which Stalin kept control over Russia- the cult of Stalin also helped this happen. The cult created the impression that Stalin was god-like and could never do wrong. Through propaganda, ralies, the press and paintings he was depicted as the ‘genius of the age’ making many people look up to him and follow his every word.The people were also told he was never wrong; this protected him from any challenges. Stalin always highlighted his successes, making people believe he was making Russia great despite everything they were going through. This created a lot of support for Stalin, solidifying his position as the leader.

Instead of communism, USSR was under Stalinism.Stalinism was extremely repressive and nationalistic. Stalin was viewed as a :Monster” because of his selfish acts, this was relevant in an review by Roy Hattersly for the book “Inside a Monster's Mind.” . Hattersly stated in his review that Stalin and his henchmen were all clinically insane. Throughout the review by Hattersly, he talks about how Stalin was nothing but a monster. Stalin was not only viewed as a monster, others believed Stalin had a brilliant mind. In a review by Richard Pipes for the book “The Fourth Greatest”, Pipes states that “the man inside was a super intelligent and gifted politician whom his own historic role was paramount”. Pipes saw Stalin for more than just a “monster” , he viewed stalin as a brilliant politician who had intellectual aspirations. There are many different interpretations of Joseph Stalin, some were good and others were not so