I’m currently reading Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend and these quotes are both referenced there as well. So satisfying to see the malding of Hitler and Goebbels once they realize they are absolutely fucked.
Interestingly, the British intelligence was way off too when it came to intelligence about the capabilities of the Soviets. Clearly nothing has changed as it sounds like today
Incredible book and should be essential reading. It’s not a biography, as I heard it described a few years ago, but an unrelentingly thorough historical analysis of Joseph Stalin, his role in the USSR, and the various criticisms of him that have entered common discourse to the point where people who don’t know anything about history know that “Hitler and Stalin” are history’s greatest monsters. Losurdo looks at how this came to be and deconstructs anti-communist narratives using sources that even the most ardent anti-communist can’t deny are valid (capitalist historians, Stalin’s enemies, etc). It’s an incredible piece of scholarship that, by the end, demonstrates just how deeply our understanding of historical events and figures have been shaped by the specific ideology of capitalist power
I’ll try to remember that, comrade! But @utopologist@hexbear.net really sums it up nicely so far!
The general format so far has been to present an anti-Stalin trope as true, then do a surgical, thorough take-down of that trope. The initial example, which I hope I don’t spoil, is Khrushchev presenting to (I believe) the Communist party members behind closed doors. He presents a massive diatribe against Stalin and the “cult of personality” he claims surrounded Stalin and how it was completely unwarranted and Stalin was an ineffective military leader, political leader, etc. Then the author has been going essentially passage by passage refuting this “take-down” and highlighting Stalin’s profound leadership.
Really opening up my eyes to Stalin as a leader and his views of the Communist project
Would love to hear if he critiques him, too - like his role in mass deportations of ethnic minorities, political suppression, and the cult of personality.
The mass deportations were distinctly un-Marxist. I would say it’s the only valid criticism I’ve ever seen. Ironically, it’s not what libs obsess about. They’re always mad that he aggressively suppressed antisemitic right-wingers.
I’m currently reading Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend and these quotes are both referenced there as well. So satisfying to see the malding of Hitler and Goebbels once they realize they are absolutely fucked.
Interestingly, the British intelligence was way off too when it came to intelligence about the capabilities of the Soviets. Clearly nothing has changed as it sounds like today
ok maybe one important thing happened :(
Any choice quotes to share?
sorry i don’t have any handy and am reading on an E-reader so hard to cycle back. Definitely worth the read though!
Please tag me in a short review of the book when you’re finished if you want, I’m interested in that book
Incredible book and should be essential reading. It’s not a biography, as I heard it described a few years ago, but an unrelentingly thorough historical analysis of Joseph Stalin, his role in the USSR, and the various criticisms of him that have entered common discourse to the point where people who don’t know anything about history know that “Hitler and Stalin” are history’s greatest monsters. Losurdo looks at how this came to be and deconstructs anti-communist narratives using sources that even the most ardent anti-communist can’t deny are valid (capitalist historians, Stalin’s enemies, etc). It’s an incredible piece of scholarship that, by the end, demonstrates just how deeply our understanding of historical events and figures have been shaped by the specific ideology of capitalist power
I’ll try to remember that, comrade! But @utopologist@hexbear.net really sums it up nicely so far!
The general format so far has been to present an anti-Stalin trope as true, then do a surgical, thorough take-down of that trope. The initial example, which I hope I don’t spoil, is Khrushchev presenting to (I believe) the Communist party members behind closed doors. He presents a massive diatribe against Stalin and the “cult of personality” he claims surrounded Stalin and how it was completely unwarranted and Stalin was an ineffective military leader, political leader, etc. Then the author has been going essentially passage by passage refuting this “take-down” and highlighting Stalin’s profound leadership.
Really opening up my eyes to Stalin as a leader and his views of the Communist project
Would love to hear if he critiques him, too - like his role in mass deportations of ethnic minorities, political suppression, and the cult of personality.
The mass deportations were distinctly un-Marxist. I would say it’s the only valid criticism I’ve ever seen. Ironically, it’s not what libs obsess about. They’re always mad that he aggressively suppressed antisemitic right-wingers.