Joseph Stalin: An Authoritarian Regime

Throughout the nation’s turbulent history, Russia’s governmental collusion and radical economic transitions has created an everlasting dark cloud that has tainted their image in the eyes of the free world. The Russian political system as of recent has begun to accept democratic principles, however the totalitarian governing policies of Vladimir Putin remains to be lacking essential credentials of country who “embraces democracy.” Nonetheless, with a past filled with countless shifts in the state’s political system and trade economy, the western nation has still found a way to remain afloat as one of the world’s most prominent superpowers. In the text, the author makes his opinion quite evident that Russia can sustain itself regardless of any

Victors often have certain crucial strengths that are instrumental to their victory, such as possessing ideologies and promoting policies that appeal to their targets and having a strong military force. For instance, in the rise of Stalin, Stalin effectively used his position as Party Secretary to control party membership. He doubled its membership to one million and his policies appealed to the new members, hence he was able to expand his support base. He was also extremely cunning, deliberately tricking Trotsky into not showing up at Lenin’s funeral, severely damaging his reputation and political prestige, and Stalin made the most of the funeral, setting himself up as Lenin’s disciple. In the rise of Mao, Mao called for and led the Long March, which inspired many of the Communist Party’s members and soldiers to see Mao as a courageous, selfless hero who saved their lives.

In 1922, Stalin was appointed to the newly created office of general secretary of the Communist Party. Though not a significant post at the time, it gave Stalin control over all party member appointments, which allowed him to build his base. He made shrewd appointments and consolidated his power so that eventually nearly all members of the central command owed their position to him. By the time anyone realized what he had done, it was too late. Even Lenin, who was gravely ill, was helpless to regain control from Stalin.

War communism had a devastating impact on the peasants and proletariat in Russian society between 1918 and 1928. However, the New Economic Policy that followed the Civil War effects was opposite, raising living standards and reinstating support for the Bolshevik party. Vladimir “Lenin” Ulyanov, known as the head of the notorious Bolshevik party, introduced War Communism (1918-1921) and the NEP (1921-1928). As Martin McCauley states “If War Communism was a leap into socialism then the New Economic Policy was a leap out of socialism” The aims of War Communism and the NEP were both successful in a large number of areas, however, the effects of both policies were not all favourable.

Kravchuk is the epitome of a pragmatist as shown by Plokhy, who’s policies could accurately be described as the essence of realpolitik. He was the chairman of the Ukrainian Soviet parliament when Ukraine declares independence, making him the de facto leader. Plokhy wisely points out the Kravchuk was indeed a communist, but shows him as a political chameleon when power shifts. Following the failure of the August Coup, “Kravchuk immediately did what the opposition deputies had been demanding for days: he jumped on Yeltsin’s bandwagon.” Kravchuk’s pragmatism is what kept Ukraine out of a new union, and at arms length in the new Commonwealth of Independent States.

The military-industrial complex along with the mass recruitment drive for the Red Army changed the Soviet military. This was one of the most important changes the Soviet Union went through under Stalin. Ultimately, it was this change that made the Soviet Union into a military superpower. The Soviet Union’s position as a world power contributed to the defeat of Nazi Germany. After all, it was them alone that fought the Nazis on the Eastern Front.

In some circumstances, Lenin made accusations, won wars greatly, and was treated as a threat in fear that he might start a World War III. Although he was treated like a great and dangerous person of higher power, Lenin had also gave improvement to life in Russia since his revolution in

Even though it is suppose to help stop violence it more often than not creates it. Dictators now are much different than in the past. In the past they wanted what was best for their people. They had compassion for others. Now they are cruel and hard to emotions.

Hitler blinded people with his influence. He gained so much power that he became a dictator. He judged others because of his hatred. Adolf Hitler is a part of history that will never be forgotten. Adolf Hitler was a highly powerful man.

In 1922, Stalin became the General Secretary of the Communist Party, granting him control over all cabinet appointments. Stalin, a shrewd opportunist, ensured to appoint members who supported him and could serve as a solid political base during any of his future ambitious power plays. Stalin made these decisions in order to centralize power and structure a dynamic in which nearly all members of the central command were indebted to him. Suffering a stroke the same year, Lenin, although expressing private disapproval of Stalin, could not stop Stalin’s power abuse. Lenin died on 21 January 1924, clearing the path for Stalin’s rise to

Together, these Khrushchev used these four tools to his advantage and over time he slowly became the new leader of Russia that everyone cited with “de-Stalinization.” In his speeches, Nikita Khrushchev chastised Joseph Stalin and tried to belittle him as a person much as he possibly could. He made claims that Stalin was single-handedly responsible for taking Russia off of a safe course of development and putting it on one that did not yield the desired results. Taking things one step further, he also claimed that many of his opponents were at one point or another working with Stalin as he committed these “crimes” against the Russian people

Peter the Great came barreling through Russia as tsar from 1721 to 1725, bringing with him a slew of economic, social, and political reforms that are argued to have made Russia a great nation once again. Prior to his reign, Russia had endured many difficulties, from Ivan the Terrible’s chaotic reign to the great Raskol to the time of troubles. Peter the Great is credited with prompting Russia to rise once again as a great nation through great institutional reforms, particularly surrounding military-based industrialization. Despite how highly regarded Peter the Great is in Russian society, historians like Marc Raeff argue that Peter the Great’s reign “was to tear Russian society apart, leaving behind a legacy of uncertainty and insecurity that

Dictatorship is when a certain person or a small group control everybody in the country. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Dictatorship makes it so the leader controls what the people do. This also includes Communist Dictatorships like the Soviet Union. Our colony is strongly against dictatorship because there is always someone that has too much power when everybody else has no freedom to question it whatsoever. In Earth’s past whenever they had dictators they usually threatened the world.

This group believed in militant communism and made empty promises to the Russians. When their promises allowed them to gain more popularity than the constitutionally democratic group of Kerensky, they overthrew them. (Trueman) The Bolsheviks took complete control and arrested the immediate family of Nicholas II. The family and servants that were willing to go with them were exiled to Siberia, where they were held captive for a year.

The difference between forms of the national administrations lies in the difference between limitations of the ruling powers and the difference in the subjects in which those administrations’ powers are engendered. In an absolutism alluding to any sort of tyrannical authorities, such as the Absolute Monarchy or the political system run by Adolf Hitler, the whole nation is managed by solely one person with lack of laws limiting his or her rules. Tired and frustrated with this kind of government, the principles of democracy is given birth to this world by the rebellious groups defying the Absolutism, and the government in this situation derives its limited powers from the citizens. In other words, in a democratic country, the citizens are the