The question posed isn’t whether or not Stalin was a good or bad person. I do not care about long-dead men, I care about structures. Stalin did not individually cause or carry out purges, how could he have done so?
The Soviet Model is one that had numerous growing pains. There were horrible crimes committed by the Soviet State, but at a far lesser extent than contemporary States such as the US, especially with the international aspect. Stalin’s role was not as some Great Man (not Great as in Good, but Great as in influential), but as a steward of the USSR like any other would have been.
I do consider Stalin to have in many ways been reactionary, but also as a Marxist, and one that more often than not carried forward the will of the Working Class. I do not believe the claim of him to have had absolute power or control has weight.
The question posed that I started the discussion with was if he was a dictator.
Stalin did not individually cause or carry out purges, how could he have done so?
I mean it’s not like Hitler did the gassing himself. But rather as a leader ordering it. Doesn’t diminish the responsibility. And nobody claimed he personally killed these people.
Stalin’s role was not as some Great Man (not Great as in Good, but Great as in influential), but as a steward of the USSR like any other would have been.
I think that’s the thing we disagree about, how much control he had.
The question posed isn’t whether or not Stalin was a good or bad person. I do not care about long-dead men, I care about structures. Stalin did not individually cause or carry out purges, how could he have done so?
The Soviet Model is one that had numerous growing pains. There were horrible crimes committed by the Soviet State, but at a far lesser extent than contemporary States such as the US, especially with the international aspect. Stalin’s role was not as some Great Man (not Great as in Good, but Great as in influential), but as a steward of the USSR like any other would have been.
I do consider Stalin to have in many ways been reactionary, but also as a Marxist, and one that more often than not carried forward the will of the Working Class. I do not believe the claim of him to have had absolute power or control has weight.
Does this make sense?
The question posed that I started the discussion with was if he was a dictator.
I mean it’s not like Hitler did the gassing himself. But rather as a leader ordering it. Doesn’t diminish the responsibility. And nobody claimed he personally killed these people.
I think that’s the thing we disagree about, how much control he had.