Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
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On Esoteric StalinismThere is no easy explanation for why Stalin is still revered by many people in Russia to this day. The ruthless leader responsible for millions of deaths, but also for propelling the USSR to superpower status still captivates hearts and minds of many people. It is certainly a bottom-up phenomenon in Russia since "Stalin's cult of personality" was systematically rooted out for 60 years, first by the Soviet Union and then by the Russian government. All Russians have had the opportunity to learn all the facts about purges and mass incarcerations. Most have lost their relatives in the 1930-40s, a lot of people have read Solzhenitsyn etc. All statues of Stalin were demolished, streets renamed and the history books began reflecting on his crimes. Yet none of this has destroyed Stalin's image. In fact, it barely made a dent in it. In spite of it all, there's a persistent, silent yet undying respect for the man across all walks of life in Russia.
One of the main contributing factors was the victory in the Great Patriotic War which happened during Stalin's leadership. There have been many attempts to separate these two events, claiming that it was a victory by the Russian people, despite the "Georgian terrorist" pissing himself at his dacha. However, you can be either wholeheartedly pro-victory or against it. There is no enlightened middle ground that does not immediately invoke the image of a soyjack. I wish there was!
But I would say that the biggest reason behind the cult of Stalin lies in the fact that he does not come across as a real person. Unlike Lenin, who was an obvious balding intelligentsia manlet from a family of provincial nobility, Stalin had no family but his mom and even that was questionable. This is extremely unusual for a Georgian, even today, bc their extended families are usually enormous. There are constant debates about who he really was. The lack of details combined with the totalitarian state, conveyor belts of death and the extreme secrecy made Stalin appear almost like a fictional character. He became a perfect vessel for whatever people wanted him to be.
You're a socialist? Great, Stalin was one as well.
You're a fascist? Well, the workers didn't really own the means of production, so...
You're a Christian? Stalin had flown an Orthodox icon around the city in 1941!
You're an Atheist? He destroyed many churches!
You're Jewish? Stalin's USSR was the first state to recognize Israel!
You're anti-Jewish? Koba purged & killed a whole lot of them!
You're pro-Ukrainian? Stalin said that all the cities in the Ukraine should be "Ukrainized"
You're anti-Ukrainian? Great, because Stalin was responsible for a h*******r and he dealt with the banderists!
After myriads of these antithetical debates, Stalin has transformed into an almost ethereal, eschatological figure, an angel of death but also, for some people, a saviour of Russia. Whenever there is a mystery and lots of blood involved, people cannot help but marvel at the sight. And if you combine this with a wounded sense of national pride, you end up with an inextinguishable flame burning in a lot of the people's hearts. Not advocating for anything here, just some thoughts on the matter.