Joseph Stalin Essay Examples

Joseph Stalin’s name is second only to Adolf Hitler’s when it comes to the death and destruction of the twentieth century. When Stalin died in 1953, people had mixed emotions about his actions (Roberts 2003). Some saw him as an ideal cult figure, while others viewed him as a relatively benign dictator. The general population […]

Between 1928 and 1939, millions people died as a result of the purges, a number that has been frequently debated and reconsidered, a crucial aspect being the huge difference between official figures and numbers put forward by historians such as Robert Conquest, who states that “the total number of deaths caused by the Soviet regime’s […]

Purges refer to “cleansing out”. Purges regularly took place in Russia especially when the leaders wanted to reshape the party or exercise more control.Three phases in the purges of 1930’s can be identified 1. Chistka of 1932-35. 20% of the party was expelled non-violently. 2. Show trials Prominent old Bolsheviks were publicly tried and executed. […]

My belief is that Lenin had a greater impact on Russian history, as Stalin’s accomplishments were built upon those of Lenin. Consequently, the leadership and guidance provided by Lenin was crucial for both figures. Despite the fact that Lenin was responsible for bringing about the establishment of communism and maintaining it during the Civil War, […]

Q1) ‘Brought glory to Stalin’ – was this the only, or most important reason why Stalin embarked on his industrialisation programme?Russia had always been (and still is) a late developer compared to other countries even though it was very rich in raw materials, mainly coal, oil and steel. Stalin who came to power after Lenin […]

Stalin came to power in 1928 after cleverly outsmarting his political opponents by playing them off against each other, while he remained an unlikely source of leader until only he remained. Stalin changed the economic footing of Russia enormously. Industrialization, the development of industry was massive. After 13 years, production figures for almost all products […]

Despite Lenin’s warning of potential abuse of power, Stalin controversially seized control after his death. He engaged in a power struggle with Trotsky and eventually convinced the Communist Party that he was the legitimate leader. After winning, Stalin ousted Trotsky from the political party and eventually had him killed by one of his agents. Stalin’s […]

1. Lenin knew that sooner or later he was going to die, and after his death had a fair idea that either Stalin or Trotsky would succeed him. Source A extracts parts of Lenin’s testaments that show his opinion of these two powers at this point. He obviously liked Trotsky and in most aspects saw […]

Stalin’s economic policies were successful to an extent, especially when looking at the increases in production of heavy industry. However they also failed in several important areas such as agriculture, meaning the overall success was limited. Also, when evaluated in terms of the effects on the people of the Soviet Union, the policies had, in […]

Mr. Alderson commissioned me to add a left-wing vibe to the magazine, so I have chosen a topic that will be familiar and relatable to most readers. Despite living in 21st century Western Europe where there are guarantees of freedom of speech, worship and body art, and relatively free from fear of big brother, I […]

By the time of Josef Stalin’s death in 1953, the face and structure of Russia had changed forever. Two leaders had interpreted Marxism in different and apparently opposite ways and the country still bore the scars. There is an almost romantic stereotype which dominates traditional history of the Soviet Union, which is perhaps best exemplified […]

Stalin claimed to be an allegiant follower of Lenin’s Marxist legacy. But practically, his heavy revision of Lenin’s policies made this claim doubtful. This essay will discuss both sides, on what Stalin had enshrined or extended, and what he had discarded from Lenin’s legacy.Politically, the core of Lenin’s party ethos, namely Socialism was preserved. Stalin […]

When answering this question there are 3 main factors to consider: Stalin’s strengths, Trotsky’s weaknesses, and wildcard factors (luck or chance). Trotsky inadvertently plotted his own downfall, he was simply unequipped for politics and the power struggle, and his place was on the battlefield in a military uniform. Trotsky was an amazing orator but had […]

The race for power in Russia began following the recovery of the Russian economy when Lenin after suffering several strokes and paralysis eventually died in the January of 1924 leaving the Russian people in mourning.For many people at the time Trotsky seemed like the obvious replacement for the almighty Lenin, and it was perhaps because […]

Vladmir Lenin was the leader of the Bolsheviks who seized power in November 1917. He died in January 1924 after a series of strokes that left him completely paralysed, and eventually killed him. When he died, he left no clues as to whom he wanted to succeed him as ruler of the USSR, even though […]

1. What role did the United States and Great Britain play in the Russian Revolution? How did this participation affect the relationship between the Bolsheviks and the West?- The United States and Great Britain sent their own troops to fight the Russian Revolution against the Bolsheviks and communism. This participation effects the relationship between the […]

George Orwell’s book Animal Farm (published in1943) is a children’s story, but when closely examined, it proves to be an allegory to the Russian Revolution. The events in the book are very closely related to the actual events from The Russian Revolution. Also, the animals (main-characters) are historically referring to the Communist leaders such as […]

George Orwell wrote Animal Farm in 1945. Animal Farm was meant to portray the Russian Revolution that was going on at the time. If Orwell were to openly oppose the ways of the communist party he would have undoubtedly been prosecuted. Instead Orwell wrote Animal Farm to express his hatred for communism in a discreet […]

Stalin’s support of the Spanish Republic during their Civil War, through the supply of weapons and ‘volunteers’, appeared to be an effort to assist international communism in defeating Franco. Many contemporary historians argue that the perspective that the USSR provided aid to support the Spanish Republic solely out of ideological solidarity is too simplistic. Instead, […]

This Is a question that people all across the world have attempted to answer, but the answer Is always out of reach. Researchers have studied the philosophies of old philosophers like John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Plato, and Thomas Hobbes, in order to answer this question but never quite get a definitive answer. They have […]

Stalin totally hanged the country. When he gained power the economy was still based on agriculture and the majority of people lived in the countryside; when he died, the country was a global superpower, with a huge heavy industry sector and the majority of the people lived in cites. He achieved these through two policies; […]

I think that Stalin’s political powerbases were one of the main reasons he emerged as leader of Soviet Russia by the end of 1929. Obviously there were other factors that aided him, such as the alliances he formed, and even his personality. Obviously I don’t think that it was all down to one factor alone […]