The legacy of Stalin

"What do you understand by 'Stalinism' and how do you assess the view that it was the legacy of Stalinism which eventually brought about the collapse of the Ussr." Stranovedenie Rachel McGauran "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely". The Guinness book of World Records has under the title 'mass murder' a familiar picture, with a not so familiar name printed underneath- Josif Vissarinovich Dzuhugashvili. This man is better known to most as Joseph Stalin-the infamous …

…of nuclear weapons, but at the same time it's internal processes were decomposing at an unprecedented rate" Norman Davies. The system was bound to collapse, for to ensure it's survival, one needed to subjugate an entire population which had been subjugated for too many years. Its successes were superficial. By the time of his death, Stalin left behind "a country paralysed by fear, dullness and suspicion". No such country could endure another 28 years of oppression.