Evaluation of Stalin's Rule of the USSR

Evaluation of Stalin's Rule of the USSR

This statement about Stalin's ruling of the USSR between the years

1928 and 1941 is more than just black and white. The preceding social

influences of the Communist Party, coupled with the practical side of

putting all of these ideas into use caused an extremely complex

situation. Stalin's ideas benefited some, greatly disadvantaged others

and completely changed the way the USSR was run and how all sectors of

public life were organised. In the process of ascertaining how

important each of the factors such as the industrial base, the

agricultural system and control of society, a view of Stalinist rule

between these years is created. The issues that affected Stalin's rule

and decisions are more numerable than simply the welfare of the Soviet

people.

Undertaking the task of analysing Stalin's regime in this period of 13

years is not an easy feat. There are a broad range of subjects and

ideas to comprehend and attempt to convey to begin to understand the

overall view of Stalinist Russia. A logical starting point for the

consideration of Stalin's actions as he sought to drag the Soviet

Unioninto a position where it stood amongst equals on the

international stage is the impact of Stalin's rule when compared to

the wider history of Russia. In the beginning, five years into the new

20th Century was the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II. The Tsar's trial

of ruling Russia as an autocracy failed, but in the future, Stalin

would succeed where he failed. A figure always closely linked to any

of Stalin's actions is Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik movement

that took control of Russia in late 1917. Leni...

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...rty. This disorganisation

of both industry and agriculture led to devastating famine and

horrific death tolls. Also, Stalin's method of ensuring his

dictatorship, removing all of his opposition, was both brutal and

damaging to his own country. His actions in the purges not only

weakened his country's defence, but deprived Russia of over a decade

of artistic advancement. Yes, Stalin was responsible for incredible

developments in the USSR, and yes he did transform it from a backward

country into a strong modern state. But the price for this was the

misery of the Soviet people, and the eventual crippling of Russia's

socio-economic growth through bad decisions and brutality. Therefore I

believe that the statement about Stalin is highly accurate, but that

it was not just the people, but the country also that paid the price.