Legacy of Communist Leaders.

Stalin, Joseph Vissarionovich continued Lenin's work with some changes. The political and cultural aims of his regime were to identify the totalitarian rule of Communist party with stability and legitimacy. For Stalin totalitarianism was a system of government and ideology in which all social, political, economic, intellectual, cultural, and spiritual activities are subordinated to the purposes of the rulers (leaders) and ruling ideology of a state. Totalitarianism is a terror, it is dictatorship of small groups such as politburo, it is elimination of classes, regular purges in the party, army, and public organizations. Stalin was born in 1894. In 1918 he joins the Bolsheviks, in 1939 becomes a member of politburo. Stalin made a cult of himself. People were madly in Love with him and believed in him no matter what. Stalin was aiming toward total control of society, tightening discipline in economic sector; he needed the slave labor for the industrialization (a policy of rapid development of the Soviet economy with particular emphasis on heavy industry in 1930). From 1934-1939 Russia was in a constant state of fear, starvation. The results of the terror were declined production, starvation, widespread resistance to collectivization (a policy of forceful agriculture transformation from traditional individual to collective forms of production). Stalin believed in revolution from above, in socialism in one country, forced centralization of economy. From 1941-1945 Russia was in The World War Two. And Russia wins it. Stalin's legacy is impressive progress in economy, culture and political sector. All this was achieved because of terror, forced labor and deportations. Russia became totalitarian state. After his death in 1953 began the Khrushchev Era.

The period from the mid 1950 to mid 1960is the time when Khrushchev was the leader of Russia. This period is characterized as the time of Destalinisation. A time for people to have rest. Khrushchev is known for his housing constitution. He understood that it is not right to live in one flat for several families. So he started to build five-floor houses, which provided comfortable flats for people. Khrushchev served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1953- 1964 and Soviet Prime Minister from 1958- 1964. He was aiming to increase in agricultural output, raise standards of living and reorganize the party. Virgin Lands occurred during this period. This was an opportunity for people to go away from all problems, to work. But again, it was more based upon collective work and not individualization. It is the period of Cultural Thaw. Socialist Realism was still questioned bit still dominated. Foreign policy under Khrushchev was peaceful. Began cooperation with the Third World and Non- Allied movements (India, Egypt, Cuba, Yugoslavia). The Berlin Wall was established. The legacy of Khrushchev as a Communist leader is very important as it gave a chance to people to have a break, to start live again with no fear and with a smile on their faces. Khrushchev retired in 1964 to his dacha where he died in 1971.

The Brezhnev Era - the period in Soviet History under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev and his associates from the mid 1960 to the mid 1980, characterized by conservative tendencies in the Soviet Society. Soviet Economy - Stagnation. Leonid Brezhnev born in 1906, became member of politburo in 1957. 1964 - General Secretary of the CPSU. Under Brezhnev Russia sighed the Nuclear Nouproliteration Treaty. In 1968 Soviet and other Warsaw Pact troops entered Czechoslovakia and installed a new regime (The Prague Spring). In 1972 he signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Richard Nixon. The policy of Détente came into action (relaxation of international tension). 1979 - The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. This period of history can be called Stabilization. In 1978 Brezhnev came up with Constitution - Constitution of Developed Socialism (1970- 1982). Gross agricultural output by 1980 was 21% higher then the average for 1966-1970. Brezhnev understood that Country needs some changes in economy after Destalinization. His solution was to increase state investment. Brezhnev was extolled as a dynamic leader and intellectual colossus. But at the same time he was still a vigorous politician who expected to make the party and government work more effectively. He had not been inactive. He had not been entirely inflexible. His General Secretaryship had turned into a ceremonial reign that brought communism into its deepest contempt since 1917.

The Gorbachev Era (1985-1991). This era can be characterized by deep economic reforms, democratization of social life (glasnost), national emancipation (collapse of USSR), the end of Cold War - Afghanistan War, perestroika. Gorbachev (born in 1931) was the first and the last president of the USSR. Since 1978 he was a member of politburo and in 1988 he became the President of USSR. His had three main goals: Perestroika (rebuilding),

Glasnost (public voicing),

Democratizatsiya (democratization) .

Gorbachev wanted to rebuilt economy by making scientific and technological revolution, formation of cooperatives and joint ventures. Unfortunately the results were disappointing: economy went into free- fall, speculation, black market, inflation, rationing. USSR had to ask West for financial aid. An event that didn't help Gorbachev at all was the Chernobyl explosion in 1986. The economy under Gorbachev didn't rise. It stayed the same. The culture went up a bit by starting to publish great works by Berdyaev, Bulgakov, and Pasternak. Gorbachev's goals were also to continue changes from above, to reduce party control and to make elections multicandidate. Gorbachev became the president of USSR during difficult and not "particular" time; he introduces the "NEW THINKING" (slogan for foreign policy based upon shared moral and ethical principles to solve global problems rather then on Marxist - Leninist concept of irreconcilable conflicts between capitalism and communism). The results of" New Thinking" was the collapse of communism system, End of Cold War, US relations began to improve, closer relations with China. Gorbachev was praised and admired. In 1990 Russia became independent and next year Yeltsin became the President of Russia.

The Yeltsin Era (1991-2000) is the first stage in the history of the posy- communist Russia. It is a very important period in Russian History. Boris Yeltsin was the first democratically elected president. He replaced USSR by CTS. Yeltsin made possible for big business to have future in Russia, rapid progress of parliamentary democracy took place as well. Western countries started to invest in Russia. 1993 - Yeltsin Constitution (Election of first Federal Assembly of Russia and referendum to ratify Russian Constitution). The Chechnya War began in 1993. It is still going and at the present time it seems as if there is no end. In 1998 there was the August crisis that led to inflation and fall of economy. It is hard to talk about the legacy if his Era because it just ended and we will understand the meaning of it later.

The Legacy of Communist Leaders is enormous. If we take a look at the Lenin's and Stalin's Era we will see straight away that people were living in a constant feeling of fear and uncertainty of what will happen next. Beginning from Khrushchev's Era and Brezhnev's the country started to move away from the communism system. It happened very slowly but the fact that it started is obvious. The mentality of Soviet people will remain for some time. Our country will not accept individualities because they are afraid of them. And I think it is not only in Russia. It is everywhere. The Communist system stopped the natural development of our country. We are far away behind the European countries. The Ideology of communism is amazing but it cannot work on such huge territory as Russia. Utopia is not possible in our world and it is strange how the communist leaders could even think of realizing their dreams. Individuals rule world and you cannot admit it. You cannot force history. No matter what it will go its own way, direction.