Skip to main content

Can you compare Joseph Stalin to a modern day dictator?

For me, Stalin is incomparable to today's dictators simply due to the number of people he killed and the capriciousness way in which he killed them.  Yes, some of his killing was genocidal, as his farming program went specifically after Ukrainians, Armenians, and Kazakhs during the Holodomor but he also targeted his own people just as badly.  He killed his top generals during the military purges of 1937 and he also targeted the clergy in...

For me, Stalin is incomparable to today's dictators simply due to the number of people he killed and the capriciousness way in which he killed them.  Yes, some of his killing was genocidal, as his farming program went specifically after Ukrainians, Armenians, and Kazakhs during the Holodomor but he also targeted his own people just as badly.  He killed his top generals during the military purges of 1937 and he also targeted the clergy in an attempt to make the Soviet Union the world's first (and only) atheist empire.  Unlike today's dictators who kill based on religious and ethnic differences, Stalin destroyed anyone who was not useful to him.  



Stalin was also an effective dictator, or at least he appeared to be, and he was not afraid to let the world see how effective he thought he was.  Unlike the current regime in North Korea, which is very secretive, Stalin invited Westerners to his country for them to see how his five-year plans were going.  Many Americans came back home to say that Stalin had found a way to end unemployment and poverty; they never saw how Stalin had destroyed his own people to do it.  Unlike regimes in North Korea and Hussein's regime in Iraq, Stalin did not want to openly go to war with the West, though his use of spies served as a potential "fifth column" during WWII and the early Cold War which created the Iron Curtain.  Today's dictators are murderous, but Stalin is incomparable in terms of quantity of people killed and overall cunning.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more