Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin – the unique and unforgettable personality

The Soviet leader who ruled for almost three decades over the world’s biggest nation and made the old Russia into a modern state. His role as a leader, administrator and warlord has been commendable and has proved his ability to handle difficult situations. His policies though harsh at times were required in order to establish a modern Soviet Union. He was the Georgian who grew from humble beginnings having faced a rather violent childhood at the hands of an alcoholic father; a cobble by profession; to a difficult upbringing at the hands of his mother who nurtured him and wanted him to become a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church to his becoming a comrade and a revolutionary. Having lived in poverty in the village of Gori in Georgia Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin as he later on came to be known as went up to the position of becoming the head of the Soviet Union.

He was a unique leader who possessed an analytical mind and was extremely well organised with regard to work and execution of his ideas. Though many of his fellow comrades perceived him to be a mediocrity or just an above average person his latent qualities and talent did come out when he took over the reins of the Soviet government as the successor of Comrade Lenin. There were major apprehensions voiced with regard to him by his predecessor however he was taken as the ultimate choice perhaps the best that the Soviet politburo could have ever thought of wherein he proved his mettle as an administrator. One cannot stay oblivious to the conditions that had been prevailing in Soviet Union during the time of his accession to the highest seat of the state that were with regard to low agricultural production and industrial growth having been at its lowest when compared to the rest of the European continent. The common man in the state had a rather low standard of living and education was almost next to nothing. Under such trying circumstances did this leader start the process of industrialisation through the Five Year Plans and also introduced Collectivisation a system of farm cooperatives wherein the land would be owned by the state. These policies helped in the industrial growth of the nation and also created surplus agricultural produce which served the industry as well as the urban class who were into other tertiary professions such as academics and scientific research, defence and administration. A well planned manifesto that Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin implemented changed the face of the old Russia that was dependent on agriculture and low in terms of development. The resistance that came from various quarters of society from those who were opposed to the idea of a Bolshevik state had to be suppressed in the interest of the Soviet Union hence there came the need to use harsh methods and stern action had to be taken against such enemies of the state.

In the field of education he introduced schools and colleges and universities across his country and ensured that the children receive the required education necessary for them as well as the state. This was vital for the future of Soviet Union and had a positive impact especially in the long run.

The Georgian Comrade was a man of few words who was not vociferous about his ideas but believed in implementing them in the interest of the state and society. Although critics would disagree with such an opinion so expressed however the true facts cannot stay hidden for long and will ultimately have to be accepted. His focus was purely devoted towards establishing Communism in one country that was a practical move at that time when the entire imperialist world had been united against the first Communist nation of the world. This was where he disagreed with Lev Trotsky who talked about spreading Communism across the world an idea that was not viable but utopian. The quality to learn from ones mistakes was also a reason behind the success of Comrade Stalin as a leader and administrator. Unlike Adolf Hitler who was more a dreamer and quite rigid at times Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was meticulous and learner throughout and this is what stood him in good stead during the Great Patriotic War against the Nazi forces when they launched their surprise attack on Russia. A silent performer who was able to have his way after the Great Patriotic War in having convinced the Allies (U.S. & Great Britain) to ensure that the Soviet Union gets what they had deserved for their major sacrifices made in the war against Fascism/Nazism. He lost his own son Yaakov who had been taken as a prisoner by the Germans but the Comrade did not shudder and refused to yield to the conditions put forth by the Nazis as the Soviet nation was dearer to him than his own family.

Thus a man of few words but a performer, an administrator and an efficient organiser and above all a unique warlord is what makes Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin the unique and unforgettable comrade in history. His critics might have their reasons however flimsy or utopians they might be about his style of leadership nevertheless they cannot deny his leadership skills displayed during the Second World War/Great Patriotic War. He was a genius whom historians may not have written much about or have not presented him the way he should have been. Time will however tell what the Comrade really was a unique and unforgettable personality.