Did Stalin Modernise The USSR?

How effectively did Stalin modernise the USSR?

When a country is modernised, it makes a transition from being backwards or traditional into being a society which is modern. This is measured by internal factors like social and political progress as well as technologically and industrially, and how people respond to these changes. The adoption of more progressive practices is a factor in modernisation, and modern states are usually classified as wealthy, powerful and with a high standard of living for citizens. Updated methods of things like transport and communication within the nation and outside of it are also relevant in terms of the level at which the nation has been modernised.

The modernisation of Russia was one of, if not the most significant

As shown in Source 98, Stalin was best known across the world for the estimated 4-60 million deaths he caused (most historians agree on approximately 23 million). This is presented by the pyramids of skulls as a tourist attraction, with Stalin holding out his hand as if to show that these deaths are his doing. This was his finest display of autocracy – the killing of anyone even suspected to hold views which differed from his own by working them to death in Gulags or by the NKVD. This nation, described as ‘the most democratic of democratic constitutions’, failed pathetically in progressing politically. Rather than being democratic or communist, Stalin was nothing more than a fascist draped in communist attire. Under his rule, the public had no say in any decisions made and Stalin was single-mindedly focused on two things: quelling opposition and competing industrially and militarily with the major capitalist countries of the West. Even from before he was in charge when Trotsky was rivalling him as leader Stalin decided to exile Trotsky from the party and later kill him rather than letting things play out fairly. He also controlled his people by saying ‘We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make up this gap in ten years. Either we do it or they will crush us.’ This caused fear within workers and motivated people to work harder, though this fear was misplaced. Although there

Despite the possible exaggeration of statistic, Stalin still increased Russia’s industrial output markedly and without a doubt covered the ‘fifty or a hundred year gap’ between them and the world’s most modern countries, as Russia later demonstrated with their ability to match the USA during the Cold War. Stalin also managed to increase grain production beyond his targets which led to increased international trade. However, on balance, the increase in industrial output is far outweighed by the terrible combination of death, famine, reduced living conditions and loss of freedom and civil rights throughout Russia. Although he modernised industry, his absolute lack of regard for his own peoples’ lives and the condition of society shows that his methods of modernising the USSR were