Thesis: Although Stalin protected Russia by fending off the Nazis, he was an extremely oppressive leader in Russia’s history in the sense that he killed three million Russian people and caused their suffering for many years, which is why Stalin was ultimately more harmful to Russia than beneficial.
Definitions:
· Stalinism: “The form of Marxism associated with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Stalinism emphasizes the repression of all dissent, often by brutal means; a rigid adherence to government management of economic life; and the domination of all communist movements worldwide by the Soviet Union. In holding to these beliefs, Stalin opposed Leon Trotsky.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Trotskyism: “The doctrines of the twentieth-century Russian political leader Leon Trotsky, who believed that communism should depend on the cooperation of the proletariats of all nations rather than on domination by the Soviet Union. Trotsky’s ideas were opposed by Joseph Stalin, the Soviet premier, who sent Trotsky into exile, made him a nonperson, and eventually had him assassinated.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Leninism: “The form of communism as taught by Lenin, with emphasis on the dictatorship of the proletariat.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Communism: “An economic and social system envisioned by the nineteenth-century German scholar Karl Mars. In theory, under communism, all means of production are owned in common, rather than by individuals. In practice, a single authoritarian party controls both the political and economic systems. In the twentieth century, communism was associated with the economic and political systems of China and the Soviet Union and of the satellites of the Soviet Union.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Anarchism: “Belief in the abolition of all government and the organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or compulsion.” (Oxford Dictionary)
· Socialism: “An economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise, and in which cooperation rather than competition guides economic activity. There are many varieties of socialism. Some socialists tolerate capitalism, as long as the government maintains the dominant influence over the economy; others insist on an abolition of private enterprise. All communists are socialists, but not all socialists are communists.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Bolshevism: “The doctrines, methods, or procedure of the Bolsheviks; the principles or practices of ultra-radical socialists or political ultra-radicals generally.” (Oxford Dictionary)
· Marxism: “The doctrines of Karl Marx and his associate Friedrich Engels on economics, politics, and society. They include the notion of economic determinism—that political and social structures are determine by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society in which all means of production are commonly owned, a system to be reached as an inevitable result of the struggle between the leaders of capitalism and the workers.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
· Liberalism: “In the twentieth century, a viewpoint or ideology associated with free political institutions and religious toleration, as well as support for a strong role of government in regulation capitalism and constructing the welfare state.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
More terms may be added to this list as I continue in my research and writing.
Outline:
I. Background on Stalin’s early life
a. Joseph Stalin was born on December 21, 1879 in Gori, Georgia.
b. He entered a seminary, but was expelled for rebellion and decided to become a Marxist.
i. Stalin said, “The whole atmosphere round me was saturated with hatred of Tsarist oppression, and I threw myself whole-heartedly into revolutionary work” (J.T. Murphy).
II. Stalin’s influence in Russia from 1917-1921
a. Stalin’s part in the Russian Revolution
b. Stalin’s part in the Russian Civil War
i. “He dreamed of the electrification of all Russia, and began to make it come true in the midst of the famine and desolation of the years of civil war” (J. T. Murphy).
ii. “The Civil war began in Russia. Stalin commanded the forces in Tsaritsyn and St. Petersburg” (Abhijit Naik).
c. Stalin’s part in the Polish-Soviet War
III. Stalin’s ascension to leadership in Russia
a. Stalin’s position as General Secretary of the Communist Party
i. “On Lenin’s motion, the Plenum of the Central Committee, on April 3, 1922, elected Stalin, Lenin’s faithful disciple and associate, General Secretary of the Central Committee, a post at which he has remained ever since” (Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute).
b. Stalin continued to gain more and more power over time.
i. In a letter to Congress, Lenin stated, “Stalin, having become General Secretary, consolidated his immense power, and I’m not sure whether he will always care enough to use that power” (Lenin’s Testament).
IV. In 1939, Stalin entered into a pact with Hitler.
IV. In 1939, Stalin entered into a pact with Hitler.
a. The treaty divided Eastern Europe into areas where German and Soviet influence was prevalent.
b. Hitler dissolved the pact in 1941.
c. German forces attack Russia, but Russia is able to push the troops back.
d. In 1945, Russian troops officially defeated the German troops.
V. Stalin’s major alterations of Soviet society
a. Increase of secret service in the Soviet Union
b. Stalin created a “cult of personality” around himself in order to make himself seem like a hero to the public.
i. “In the years since the Constitutional Congress, Stalin’s own personality began to be more widely known. His picture and slogans became so prominent in the Soviet Union that foreigners found this “idolatry” forced and insincere” (Anna Louise Strong).
c. Stalin executed thousands of innocent Russian people who opposed his regime.
d. Stalin deported thousands of people out of Russia greatly shifting the demographics.
e. There were huge famines during Stalin’s rule.
f. All aspects of culture, such as science and art, were controlled by Stalin.
VI. Stalin was in power until 1953 when he died.
a. Stalin’s ruling tactics were extremely harmful and devastating to Russian society.
b. He caused there to be much struggle in the country for many years.
Sources:
American Heritage Dictionary. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from http://dictionary.reference.com/help/ahd4.html
Bacon, E., & Wyman, M. (2006). Contemporary Russia. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Berton, S., & Potts, J. (2006). Warlords: An Extraordinary Re-creation of World War II through the Eyes and Minds of Hitler, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. United Kingdom: Da Capo Press.
Boobbyer, P. (2000). The Stalin Era. New York, NY: Routledge.
Carr, E. H. (1979). The Russian Revolution from Lenin to Stalin (1917-1929). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Curtis, G. E. (1998). Russia: A Country Study. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army.
Fitzpatrick, S. (2008). The Russian Revolution. New Your, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Foster, William Z. (1939). Lenin and Stalin as Mass Leaders. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/archive/foster/1939/12/stalin.htm
Kuromiya, H. (2005). Stalin. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited.
Laqueur, W. (1990) Stalin: The Glasnost Revelations. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Lenin, V. (1922, December 24). Lenin’s Testament. Retrieved from http://stalin.edusite.ru/p3aa1.html
Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute, Initials. (1947). Stalin. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/biographies/1947/stalin/07.htm
McCauley, M. (2008). Stalin and Stalinism. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited.
Medvedev, R. (1984). All Stalin’s Men. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday.
Murphy, J. T. (1945). Stalin. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/archive/murphy-jt/1945/stalin/index.htm
Naik, Abhijit. (n.d.). Timeline of Joseph Stalin. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/timeline-of-joseph-stalin.html
Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from http://oxforddictionaries.com/?attempted=true
Rigby, T. H. (1966). Stalin. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Stalin, J. (1939, August 19). Speech in the Politburo. Retrieved from http://www.letton.ch/lvstaldisc.htm
Strong, Anna Louise. (1941). Stalin. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/strong-anna-louise/1941/x01/stalin.htm
Wood, A. (2005). Stalin and Stalinism. New York, NY: Routledge.
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