Stalinism is a totalitarian, mostly culturally left in his time, economically far-left ideology occupying the upper left corner of the political compass. He believes in rapid industrialization, socialist commodity production,
socialism in one country (until 1939), a
totalitarian state, and collectivization of agriculture. A cult of personality was established under his rule, but
Stalin expressed his personal distaste and resisted the cult multiple times.[3]
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili) was an ethnic Georgian Bolshevik member of the USSR who rose to power due to the promotion of Lenin of him as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). After
Joseph Stalin came to power, he soon consolidated power and won the power struggle against the left dissents (
Trotskyists). He later enacted the policy of
Great Purge and cleansed his political opponents with estimably 700k to 1.2 million fell victims. Despite being considered the leader of "centre" (no relation to Centrist Marxism) faction of the CPSU by some scholars, Stalin enacted a similar economic platform to the Trotskyist left opposition.
Shortly after coming to power, Stalin declared the end of Lenin’s New Economic Policy and enacted the
the Collectivization of the USSR. During an era of one of the
most rapid industrialization in human history, the artificial[4]
Holodmor happened under the context with around 3.5 million to 5 million died of starvation. Whether it’s genocide is still subjected to debates in academia. But some scholars believe the famine was primarily caused by external factors outside of Stalin’s control, such as the burning of crops by the Kulaks and bad weather. The
Kazakh Famine happened with 1.5 to 2.3 million perished. Stalin’s government enforced
Lysenko’s pseudo-science theory.
The Stalinist USSR also implemented anti-parasite laws with [5] Forced labor that punished people for ‘poor labor disciplines’ and ‘laziness’ and gulags. 1.8 million workers were sentenced to 6 months in forced labor with a quarter of their original pay, 3.3 million faced sanctions, and 60k were imprisoned for absentees in 1940 alone. The conditions of Soviet workers worsened in WW2 as 1.3 million were punished in 1942, and 1 million each were punished in subsequent 1943 and 1944 with the reduction of 25% of food rations. Furthermore, 460 thousand imprisoned were imprisoned throughout these years. However, it was noted that there was a substantial rise in wages that happened by the late 1930s after real wages declined to 60% of the pre-1928 level in the early 1930s, and wage funds were increased by 50%. A minimum wage of 110-115 rubles was established in 1937; private gardens were allowed for one million workers to farm in their private plots. Even so, most Soviet workers lived in crowded communal housings and dormitories and suffered from extreme poverty.
Stalin’s regime continued the economic boom of the Lenin era and enacted the policy of Socialism in One Country, which effectively cut off the USSR’s economy from the trade with outside world. In the the mid-1930s, Stalin began to notice a rise in fascism and proposed an Alliance with the West, which they rejected. During the late 1930s,
Adolf Hitler offered the USSR a non-aggression pact. Stalin decided to take him, believing (In his own words) that it would give the USSR time to prepare its troops. Stalin decided to invade eastern Poland and the Baltics, believing that if they did not fall into nazi hands, it would give the USSR an advantage.
Mass repressions by the NKVD were launched to suppress Polish civilians and military personnel following the invasion, the USSR conducted the Katyn Massacre against Polish military officers, which killed 22000 officers and POWs. There were also mass repressions conducted by the USSR against Baltic populations with 10% of Baltics either killed, deported to Siberia, or detained by the extrajudicial rule of the Soviet regime.[6]
Stalin didn’t believe that the Nazis would honor the treaty, and Stalin believed they would invade. But he left the Red Army unprepared when the invasion happened and the USSR suffered heavy casualties in the early stage of the war. In 1941, Nazi Germany broke the nonaggression pact, invading the USSR. However, Nazi Germany’s forces underestimated the harsh weather conditions in the winter of the Soviet Union, therefore giving the red army the upper hand. After long and harsh conditions in battles such as the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Moscow, the Soviet Union managed to push back. During the war, the USSR transported different ethnic groups around the USSR. Per official reason, this decision was to suppress the revolts and Nazi collaborationism. However, this decision is condemned by scholars as genocide and ethnic cleansing and 800k to 1.5 million died in the process. This population transfer continued in 1949, after the war ended. The USSR joined the allies and began to push the Germans out of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with help from
anti-fascist partisans of the continent. Finally, in 1945, the USSR, with support from other allied members, such as
FDR’s lend lease to the USSR, managed to push the nazis to Berlin, leading to Hitler's suicide and the end of the war. The USSR's participation and the victories of the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Moscow are generally considered a major turning point in WW2.
After the Allied triumph in World War 2 against Fascism, another famine happened in Ukraine, known as the 1946-1947 Famine. This would be the last major famine in Eastern Europe, partially due to the rapid industrialization effort of the USSR. Due to support and aid from the USSR, many communist governments (such as
Dimitrov Or
Gottwald) managed to gain power in their respective countries by couping the governments (known as post-war Eastern European coalitions) and began to implement Marxism-leninism under their government, with the support and aid from the USSR. These governments were widely described as satellite states by scholars. The USSR was therefore, able to rise to the status of superpower.
Stalin died in 1953 and his successors started to gradually move away from his influence. Nikita Khrushchev gave a secret speech in 1956, marking the first wave of De-Stalinization and denounced Stalin’s cult of personality. Though the influence of Stalinist policies and practices on Soviet politics would not diminish before the second wave of De-Stalinization, carried by the reformist-minded
General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.
As one of the most respected figures in some post-Soviet countries such as Russia, Georgia and Belarus, Stalin remained a highly controversial figure internationally, with most western scholars and his critics denouncing him, describing him of being a blood thirsty tyrant who killed a range of millions to tens of millions under his rule. Still, some scholars defend his record, and the governments of Russia and Belarus see him as a patriotic leader who deserves credit for making the USSR a superpower with rapid industrialization and victory in the Soviet Patriotic War. Many Marxist-Leninists generally see him as one of the most important figures who theorized Marxism-Leninism, along with Marx,
Engels, and
Lenin.
Doctrine
Economically speaking, Stalinism is far-left. Stalinism is culturally variable, but mostly left-leaning. Stalinism is a development of Leninism, his main theoretical beliefs are Socialism in one country (until 1939), Aggravation of the class struggle under Socialism, and Socialist commodity production. Although he does believe in the final goal of Communism (stateless, moneyless, classless, etc), he believes that a strong state is needed to progress toward it. He believes industrialization is needed so that the Socialist state won't get crushed by foreign powers and believes that the Kulaks are enemies of the Revolution, which is why Collectivization is needed, however, he does believe that small peasants are friends of the Revolution. He believes enemies of the people need to be purged so that Socialism can be preserved.
Neo-Stalinism
Neostalinism, is an ideology used to represent the followers of Stalin in the modern age. It is an anti revisionist ideology, influenced from Hoxhaism.
Contrary to the belief of many people, figures such as Brezhnev and Kim Jong-il were not supported by most Neo-Stalinists, despite using aesthetics and methods originating in the Stalinist area, their economics and general political system is viewed as revisionist by most neo-stalinists who derive a lot of their work from Hoxha.
He is stereotyped as being someone who would be willing to deny and defend the actions of Stalin such as gulags, purges of his political enemies, forced deportations of “the enemies of the state”, famines as a result of mismanagement of resources, and Lysenkoism, which people who are opposed to Stalin would consider abhorrent, to defend.
Personality and Behavior
Acts like a stereotypical Soviet-era politician often sending people to the gulag.
Stylistic Notes
- Dark and misanthropic sense of humor.
- Paranoid and quick to seek revenge.
- Violently repressive.
- Sometimes cooperates with
National Socialism but only for the NAP and to get ahead of them economically, still denies it though.
- Hates
Tito and
Trotsky for factionalism and revisionism.
- Can either exist alongside
Marxism–Leninism as a representation of the ideology as understood by Stalin or will not exist and be replaced ML entirely.
- Speaks with a Georgian accent
How to Draw
The symbol used for Stalinism in the polcompball is the symbol of the Worker's and Peasants' Red Army, more famously known as just The Red Army which was a military force led by Joseph Stalin through much of its existence.
- Draw a ball.
- Fill it in red (preferably CC0000).
- Draw a golden hammer and sickle inside of a star (feel free to make the red inside the star darker, to mimic the USSR military badge).
- Draw Stalin's military cap
- Add eyes.
And you're done!
Color Name | HEX | RGB | |
---|---|---|---|
Red | #CD0000 | 205, 0, 0 | |
Gold | #FFD700 | 255, 215, 0 |
Relations
ამხანაგები (Comrades)
Leninism - I am merely a student of Lenin.
Marxism–Leninism - Made by me, Stalinism actually doesn't exist. Marxism-Leninism uses the foundations of Marx and Lenin. I am merely a student of Lenin.
Maoism - Great ally, but why did you criticize me later in "Stalin's place in history?"
Juche - Korean comrade! Here have a tank!
Hoxhaism - Albanian comrade! I love how he upholds anti-revisionism!
But why unconditional atheism even when I softened up on the church after 1941?Authoritarian Socialism
- One of my greatest comrades! We share almost all of our views!
Industrialism - It is time to put an end to the rotten policy of noninterference in production. Increase production!
Autarky - Soviet industry is best industry!
Socialism - I like you, but you need a stronger grip... and more state!
Neo-Bolshevism - Says he’s me but “Off Compass”, whatever that means
Police Statism - Thank you Beria for helping me to purge my enemies and political dissents.
Christian Communism - Many of my modern day supporters in post-Soviet countries are literally him as I loosened up religious restrictions in my later years. I don't know how I feel about your religiousness, but we are still comrades nowadays.
Totalitarianism - The state is everything. I love your secret police, state purges, red terror, and gulags. Though I don't really like the personality cult thing.
ლუმპენპროლეტარიატი (Lumpenproletariat)
Orthodox Theocracy -
I allowed some of his churches to flourish during The Great Patriotic War, only for the war.Isolationism
- Socialism in one country. Oh, and Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Estonia,
Finland, Hungary, and 1/3 of Germany.What do you mean spreading socialism by war is a Trot thing?National Bolshevism - Your gang memes are good and you seem to like me
at least your meme variant and not P*etel, but I'm afraid I am still going to purge Ustrialov for making propaganda against the state.Posadism - You're a Tr*t, but Metro 2033 in real life would be really cool. FOR COMRADE MOSKVIN!
Radical Feminism - Working women are based. Make more babies for the state though. And militarism isn't "toxic masculinity".
Anti-Fascism - My son who bashes the fash! Although nowadays you are kinda
anarkiddy.
Progressivism - The USSR WAS equal but I don't think you're gonna like it.
Rooseveltianism - Thanks for the lend lease 'Velt, but I'm afraid our little alliance ends here.
State Atheism - I was very harsh on religion but loosened up after 1941.
Conservative Socialism - I am not you, but a lot of people seem to think I am.
Zionism - It’s complicated…
Chiang Kai-Shek Thought - Our relationship started at a rough place as I supported the Chinese communists against him in the 1930s.
Because this bastard forgot how I and Lenin supported him all the way for his Northern Expedition Campaign with military experts and aid!But I saved him from the Xi’an coup and backed him against Japan at the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War. But still, I only did it to let Mao enter Manchuria later and funded the CCP with massive aid support and Japanese weapons. I still tried to help negotiate a peace agreement between the communists and the nationalists to divide China to give him a lifeline when the nationalists were losing the war, though.At least we both like yourson.
Kleptocracy - You're going to the gulag forever greedy capitalist pig!
Ignore that I robbed a bank in 1907.
კულაკები (Kulaks)
Fascism - Biggest enemy. When Nazism pisses me off, I call him Fascism. My gulags can fit all of your followers.
Although I signed the Italo-Soviet Pact[7]and built friendly relations with him when the USSR was very isolated internationally.National Socialism - You backstabbing reactionary rat! I will defend Stalingrad and Leningrad until the last Soviet man! Prepare to die!!! Wait, you killed yourself? Rest in piss fascist bozo!
Showa Statism (post-1945) - XAXAXA Manchuria is MINE now you useful idiot!
Social Democracy - You revisionist scum! You're just
Social Fascism and you're a capitalist in disguise. Also, you killed
Rosa (who I don't like)!
Cardenismo - Why did you harbor Trot?
Welfare Chauvinism and
Peronism - I told you about welfarism being fascist.
Anarcho-Communism - Silly anarkiddy doesn't understand, I am real communism. We kicked your ass out of Ukraine!
Anarcho-Syndicalism - Are you not just anarkiddy again? And stop saying I never helped you in Catalonia, my aid was delayed comrade!
Capitalism - DEATH TO THE KULAKS AND THR BOURGEOISIE!!
Trotskyism - *sharpens ice pick* You should have minded your own business when Germany fell, but instead you resorted to factionalism justto be salty!
But thanks a lot for your help in the Russian Civil War.Bukharinism - YOU ARE THE KING OF KULAKS!!!
But thanks for helping me to purge Trot.Khrushchevism - DAMN REVISIONIST NIKITA! You just had to denounce me! Also, you hate the purges even though you helped me with them in the first place XAXA.
Defending Stalingrad during the great patriotic war was based though.Gorbachevism - I HATE YOU WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING! YOU RUINED THE GLORIOUS SOVIET UNION!
Yeltsinism - YOU’RE 10 TIMES WORSE THAN GORBY! YOU DESTROYED EVERYTHING I BUILT WHEN THE BOURGEOIS WEST AND THE FASCISTS FAILED!!! I should’ve had you executed in the gulag!
Neoconservatism - GODDAMN NEOCONS! You killed my entire movement!
Hayekism - Yeah, I'm a big government commie. Problem?
Left Communism - So, I'm not a real communist even though I ruled the biggest communist country in the world and spread the revolution to half of Europe and Asia, but you are a real communist even though you just sit in an armchair?
Reactionary Socialism - Don't care, didn't ask. Plus you're a reactionary.
Other Theocracies - My lack of god, imagine still believing in these regressive institutions.
I'll forever be thankful to the Orthodox for supporting me during the war.White Nationalism - American cuck who wants to import racism to our glorious Soviet Union, prepare to get gulaged!
Pinochetism - You want me to get to the helicopter? How about... YOU GET TO THE GULAG FIRST!
Objectivism - I should have killed you in the gulag instead of approving your leave to America!
Neoreactionarism - Gulag. Now.
Titoism - Dubious Marxist! Why can’t you just f*king die!
Throwing fascists into the pit was extremely based though.Goulash Communism - Gulag > Goulash
Islamic Democracy - You are all collaborators with Nazis, get deported.
Reza Shah Thought - Monarchist, social fascist, capitalist, what else is there to say?
I swear invading you wasn’t imperialist at all because you are a capitalist fascist.Sanationism - POLAND IS SOVIET TERRITORY REEEE!!!
Revisionist Zionism - Social fascist who is a proud revisionist.
National Liberalism &
Revolutionary Nationalism - Bourgeois nationalist reactionary scums. You want liberation from my glorious rule? I will liberate you from your pathetic lives! NOW GET IN THE GULAG!!!
National Communism - You are a revisionist. I killed several natcoms in the 1930s for trying to divide USSR and I don't regret it.
Scientocracy - Reject genetics, embrace Lysenkoism.
Agorism - Stop smuggling capitalism into the glorious Soviet Union!
Further Information
Literature
By Joseph Stalin
- Anarchism or Socialism?
- Foundations of Leninism
- Trotskyism or Leninism?
- Dialectical and Historical Materialism
- Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR
By Other Authors
- History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks): Short Course by the Central Committee of C.P.S.U.
- Fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism by Otto Wille Kuusinen
Wikipedia
Stalinism
- Joseph Stalin's Cult of Personality
Socialism in One Country
- Intensification of the class struggle under socialism
- Self-criticism (Marxism–Leninism)
Russification
Holodomor
Kazakh Famine
Great Purge
Population transfer in the Soviet Union
Occupation of the Baltic States
Soviet Invasion of Poland
WW2 Eastern Front
Industrialization in the Soviet Union
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Lysenkoism
Great Patriotic War
Winter War
Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran
Videos
- Sigma Stalin
- Day in the Life of Stalin by Simple History
Online Communities
Organizations
- US Friends of the Soviet People
- Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
- New Communist Party of Britain
- Communists of Russia
- Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)
Gallery
- MrSomebody-TenYears.png
- OzymandiasFR-Stalin.png
Credit: u/OzymandiasFR, Source
- NoOpinionsAllowed.png
u/no_opinions_allowed Source
- Duyphysics-1939.png
Credit: u/duy_physics, Source
Credit:
TheLegend2T, Source
Credit:
TheLegend2T, Source
- Stalinismwithmoustache.png
Original Image
- Stalinism (improved version).png
- Stalinism(SN).png
Citations
- ↑ Mikhail Borodin is a Communist International member who helped Kemalist Turkey and Nationalist China, especially the latter, in their revolutions and national struggles against imperialists. He was later purged by Stalin.
- ↑ "Stalin and the Soviet Famine of 1932-33 Revisited", Michael Ellman
- ↑ https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n2129/html/introduction.xhtml
- ↑ "Stalin and the Soviet Famine of 1932-33 Revisited", Michael Ellman
- ↑ https://www.hoover.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/0817939423_23.pdf
- ↑ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjNobuouNX8AhXM2DgGHfVTBW8QFnoECBwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Fbook%2F26719%2Fchapter%2F195549104&usg=AOvVaw1gmIm8iZs4y_tX9zNm3j2e
- ↑ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italo-Soviet_Pact