Communism in the Inter-War Period

Stalin is Lenin's successor in leading the Soviet world. He began his activity in 1924 and brought a new point of view on communist society. The main change Stalin came with is transforming the proletariat's dictatorship into the left totalitarianism where the communist party is leading. This new ideology is the so called Stalinism.

What Lenin had feared was Stalin not being able to keep control over the powers he had. In fact this is what happened. Excessive willing of getting and keeping the absolute power led to abuse, while worshiping Stalin became a law. As a result, terror was converted into the state's policy.

The main reforms Stalin imposed consisted of forcing peasants to give their land to bigger collective farms, developing heavy industry and spreading electricity. This process was not easily accepted as it supposed giving up to self property. In consequence, forcing people to do so caused uncountable victims among the ones who opposed. The most impressive methods of imposing the new regulations were deporting people to Siberia, shooting them or provoking starvation to death.(1932, for example, 6 million victims).

In the same time, massive investments were made in industry. This led to an artificial and only quantitative economical growth. Even if this made USSR one of the first economical powers, it created a deficit of products for the citizens. The authorities had taken everything from people, vital products and means of obtaining them.

Stalin made many errors in organizing the economy, but managed to maintain his estate due to the terror his repressive system imposed. Fear was strong in everyone's mind and soul as massive deportations were common practice at that time. The simple state of being suspected made one a possible victim. This is why more than 8 million people suffered because of the vindictive Stalinism.

Stalin's desire of ruling the world is so strong that everyone had to worship him, who represented the proletariat. This desire, along with deficient management of resources made Stalinism one of the worst interpretations of the communist ideology. Not only that it was misinterpreting the original ideology, but Stalinism was using immoral and brutal means of inflicting itself on people. And, unfortunately, it was the only one put into practice until 1989.