Stalinism

The years of Joseph Stalin’s rule (1928-1953) were the most violent in Soviet history. They have inspired one of the most controversial, varied and interesting discussions in the history of the twentieth century. Did 'Stalinism' form a system in its own right or was it a mere stage in the overall development of Soviet society? Was it an aberration from Leninism or the logical conclusion of Marxism? Was its violence the revenge of the Russian past or the result of a revolutionary mindset? Was Stalinism the work of a madman or the product of social forces beyond his control? Could it have been avoided? Could the Soviets have won the Second World War without Stalin’s ‘Revolution from Above’? What was it like to live under Stalin? What did we learn from the opening of the archives after the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1991?