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Key Influences on Stalin's Character and Worldview (Self-interest and…
Key Influences on Stalin's Character and Worldview
Communism
Marxism
History is a series of class struggles for material needs
Believed history would pass through a series of stages
Primitive communism - no social classes or concept of private property
Feudalism - society controlled by land-owning aristocracy, power exercised over peasantry
Socialism - Dictatorship of the Proletariat distribute food, goods and services fairly according to need, no competition
Capitalism - growth of trade and industry produce bourgeoisie and proletariat, bourgeoisie’s control of means of production, distribution and exchange lead to exploitation of proletariat, who would rise up and get rid of bourgeoisie
Communism - state would 'wither away', cooperation replaces competition
Leninism
Do not delay the Revolution
Peasantry as potentially revolutionary, as well as proletariat
Party as vanguard of Revolution
Russia as weakest link in capitalist system
Dictatorship of the Party rather than Dictatorship of the Proletariat
Stalinism
Achieve Communism and eradicate capitalism at all costs
Collectivisation, elimination of markets and private property
Personal situation
From Georgia - 'borderlands' of the Russian Empire
Believed that borderlands were not really independent, needed to be protected from becoming Western 'playthings'
Roles in Bolshevik/Communist Party before he took power
Commissar of Nationalities
Commissar of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate
Member of Politburo
Permanent liaison between Politburo and Orgburo
General Secretary of Communist Party
Self-interest and desire for power
Elimination of potential threats
Show trials
Cheka
Alliances
Right wing - Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky
Zinoviev and Kamenev, opposition to Trotsky
Lack of concern for individual suffering (especially amongst peasantry)
Famine
Poverty
Starvation
Cannibalism
Death
Propaganda
According to Kotkin, Stalin could not have succeeded without the support of young people (through propaganda)