The Impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian people

Barbara Heselwood

The Impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian people

Joseph Stalin was born to a poor family in the province of Georgia in 1879. Stalin’s real surname was Djugasvili; he adopted the name ‘Stalin’ whilst in prison as he felt the translation ‘Man of Steel’ would help his image. Stalin joined the Bolshevik party as a young man and soon became an active member organizing bank raids to gain money for party funds; this led to Stalin’s imprisonment a number of times. Stalin first met Lenin in December 1905 in Finland and was quite surprised to see him as an ordinary man unlike the person he had imagined. In 1918 Stalin was made Commissar for Nationalities of the Bolshevik party, then in 1922 he became General Secretary. This made Stalin very powerful, particularly when soon after his appointment Lenin was hospitalised to have ‘Dora Kaplan’s bullet’ removed. The operation was unsuccessful and left Lenin paralysed down his right side. Joseph Stalin then became Lenin’s mouthpiece. The initial effects of this was the rise of Stalin to become the leader of the Communist party in Russia, this then resulted in Stalin going down in History as a brutal dictator and mass murderer.

In 1924 Lenin died and most people presumed Trotsky who had formed the Red Army and who had been Lenin’s right hand man would become Lenin’s successor. If Stalin had not been around Trotsky probably would have become the leader of the Communist party. Stalin was seen as dull by the intellectual elite of the Communist party and probably not very intelligent or well educated, however, they all made a fatal mistake in assuming that he was stupid. Stalin outmanoeuvred Trotsky by deceiving him and misinforming him of Lenin’s funeral in order that he appear disloyal by not attending the burial of Russia’s ‘Father of Communism’. Stalin was extremely ambitious and his initial taste of power had made him even more egotistical. Trotsky fled but was hunted down and eliminated to ensure Stalin retained power. The long term effects of this ensured that future opponents of Stalin would also be eliminated.

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With Lenin dead and Trotsky eliminated Stalin realized he was now able to concentrate on his own policies. He abandoned Lenin’s idea of ‘World Revolution’ and adopted his own policy of ‘Socialism in One Country’. He began with state control of Industry and Agriculture. This led to Stalin adopting his ‘Five Year Plans for Industry’ and ‘Collectivisation of Agriculture’. An organisation called GOSPLAN was created to plan everything out. The first five-year plan was created to improve heavy industries production such as coal, oil, iron, steel and electricity. The second continued to emphasise on heavy industry but also made a commitment to communication systems such as railways. The third put an emphasis on weapon production, as war did seem to be approaching. The long-term effects of this were that Russia was able to withstand German invasion in World War Two and drive back the German forces. Stalin’s adoption of the Five Year Plans proved to be very successful. There were vast improvements in Education and Health and Russia was made into a major industrial power. The country was lifted to its feet and made self-sufficient. The long-term effects of this were that Russia became the second largest World power and she was able to rebuild her armaments in preparation for war.

Russia’s armaments factories were moved beyond the Ural Mountains to avoid bombardment by the Germans. Without the improvements made to the railway system during the five year plans this would have been impossible. This enabled Russian victory in World War Two and resulted in her being a nuclear superpower. Stalin knew that for Russia’s industry to succeed she would have to be able to feed herself hence his policy of Collectivisation of Agriculture. Stalin believed that at the very least the peasant farmers should be providing food for the factory workers if the five-year plans were going to succeed. The Collectivisation of Agriculture provided Russia with self-sufficiency in a time of global depression. The outcome of this was that Stalin regained control of the peasants and was able to improve on Industrialisation. Collectivisation with its introduction of larger farms and tractors also helped modernise Russia but not without its cost. One brutal example of Stalin’s unwillingness to adopt any other policy other than Collectivisation was his treatment of the Kulaks in the Ukraine. The Kulaks were richer peasants who had worked harder under Lenin’s rule. They refused to give up their crops and animals to Stalin and chose to slaughter their livestock and burn their crops rather than give in to the brutal dictator. As a result Stalin organised a famine in the Ukraine and over One Million Kulaks were murdered or starved to death - this was known as ‘Dekulakisation’.

Stalin used propaganda to set himself us as a cult figure. Artists painted pictures glorifying Stalin and he dominated many pictures. Stalin gained the nickname ‘Uncle Joe’ which was an attempt to develop an image of a kind, homely man who was the ‘father’ of all Russians. This was part of Stalin’s ‘Personality Cult’ and was all called ‘Social Realism’, those who wrote poems and novels had to do the same – write about Stalin in a manner which glorified him. Some artists and authors were so depressed by all this that they committed suicide rather than do what the state had ordered them to do. The Results of this were that History books written at the time were written in Stalin’s favour and he was not depicted in a true light. The people were made to like Stalin because most of them were afraid of what would happen to them if they opposed him. Stalin was paranoid about competitors or possible successors and eliminated any opposition. Stalin used the ‘Purges’ firstly to eradicate his party members. Famous members of the Communist party such as Zinoviev, Kamenev and Bukharin were given ‘Show Trials’ and made to confess publicly to crimes they had not committed, they were always found guilty and then shot. The outcome of this ensured Stalin remained leader of the Communist party until his death. The next purges took place upon the army. Stalin had all his leading generals and most senior officers purged in order to eradicate any competitors. The short-term effect of this was that the vast soviet army was severely weakened and like a body without a brain. The final outcome of this was Stalin created an army with officials that he trusted and who would run it the way he wanted. Finally Stalin purged the people. Russia became a ‘telling society’ where the secret police actively encourage people to inform on their neighbours and workmates. Many people suffered simply as a result of jealous neighbours and workers. The purges created a sense of hysteria and people were willing to accuse others of crimes to demonstrate their own loyalty. These purges resulted in many of Russians most talented people being murdered. Anyone with talent was seen as a threat to the ever increasingly paranoid Stalin. The purges of the people resulted in Stalin’s ‘Reign of Terror’.

Stalin’s time as leader of Russia gained him fame for three main reasons. The Five-Year Plans, Collectivisation and The Purges. Stalin made Russia into a major industrial nation when other countries were in depression and he literally modernised Russia. The workers who did not offend the state were better off than under the reign of the tsar. Russia’s military forces were benefiting from her industrial growth and whilst Stalin retained power there was a stable government. People gained better access to education and medical care. However millions had died in the famine after the failed experiment of Collectivisation. Stalin did make Russia into a great power but there was an enormous price to pay for it. Millions of people were starved or murdered under Stalin’s brutal rule. Stalin led Russia with an iron fist. The long-term effects of this were the only reason people idolised Stalin was because they were too frightened to do anything else and Stalin’s influence lived on through Krushtov and Brezhnev, they too would not allow any senior opposition.