A Stalinist but not a Marxist country. How accurate is this judgement of the USSR up to 1939?

Stalin’s policies were also not based on what was practiced under Marxist ideology. During his rule, he had promoted women’s status and family values which was not evident according to Marxist theory. Stalin had passed the Family Code 1936 to strengthen family values. Under the Family Code, the government began to award payments to women with large families, banned abortions, and made divorces more difficult to obtain to ensure the strengthening of family ties and values. However, viewing family in a positive life was not what Marxism would advocate. Marxism had a contrasting and negative view on family and see it as an ideological state apparatus to transmit capitalist values into the family members (Althusser). Thus, this shows how Stalin had strayed away from Marxist principles and intended to apply rules according to his liking. Hence, USSR was seen as a Stalinist and not a Marxist country.

Stalin’s inability to achieve an egalitarian society which was strictly highlighted in Marxist ideology, proves how USSR was not a Marxist country. Stalin had based promotions and gradations in employment according to status, skill level and experience in the workplace and provided better treatment to the people at higher government levels. In addition, Stalin also formed a new class of officials named Nomenklatura that enjoyed privileges denied to the rest of the population. This resulted in an unequal system within the government, which contradicts to what was highlighted in Marxist ideology. Hence, this proves how USSR was a Stalinist country as Stalin used his power as a totalitarian leader to stray away from Marxist principles.

However, it could be argued that USSR was not fully a Stalinist country as there are some ideas of Marxist principles evident in USSR. This includes the social policies introduced by Stalin which intended to promote Marxist ideology. One of the key features of the social policy which helped strengthen Marxist ideology was the education system and Communist Youth Organization such as Soviet pioneers and Komsomol. These served to indoctrinate the next generation into the collective way of life. In addition, teachers were drawn into Communist plans for schooling to ensure that Marxist principles were indoctrinated into the minds of the students. Thus, this shows how Stalin had attempted to create a Marxist country instead of maintaining the principles of capitalism.

Stalin’s approach on religion further highlights how Stalin had tried to include Marxist principles in USSR. In the Marxist – Leninist interpretation of Marxist theory developed by Lenin, religion was seen as hindering human development and thus USSR implemented rules introducing state atheism known as ‘’gosateizm’’. Stalin’s desire to follow Lenin’s legacy could be seen in the banning of any religious practices and activities. This shows how Stalin had attempted to create a Marxist USSR by following state atheism principle instead of a fully Stalinist state.

Furthermore, Stalin’s approach on improving the USSR’s economy by following communist principles highlights how USSR was also characterized as a Marxist country. He did this through state monopoly of economy, where the state owned virtually all productive assets and ran a central planned economy via collectivization and 5 Year Plan. Under the central planning committee, Gosplan, Marxist principles were successfully implemented by erasing any capitalist ideas through the elimination of Kulaks and the introduction of the Collectivised agriculture lands. Hence, this shows how Stalin also made efforts to create a Marxist country by following a Marxist approach on economy.

In conclusion, it could be agreed that USSR could be characterized as a Stalinist country because Stalin had misused his power to stray away from the Marxist principles. However, it was also evident that Stalin had also tried to include several Marxist principles in his policies such as his social and economic policies which intended to strengthen the Marxist ideology.

Mark obtained: 24 out of 30 (80%)

Written by: Erni

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