Stalin

[IliaDN]

IliaDN, I just refered to Panzers definition, which is not bad:
Benevolent fascist - which includes beliefs in a strong military, aggressive foriegn policy, traditionalism, nationalism, anti-communism/socialism, government-industry cooperation, a strong role for the military in the government and does not include beliefs in genocide, concentration camps, political assassinations and all those nasty habits that gave fascism such a bad name in the 30s.
I think Stalin was everything.

How do you call him?

1.Belief in strong military - how many strong countries without such belief do you know?
2.Traditionalism - don't UK have it as well?
3.Other points you mentioned are common for any dictatorship (except only anti-communism/socialism ).

[Red Harvest]

1.Belief in strong military - how many strong countries without such belief do you know?

The majority of countries have only a rather modest military...as long as there are totalitarian regimes out there, the democracies and republics are going to maintain larger armies than they would necessarily like to have.

While Stalin may have "believed" in a strong military, his purges weakened it. And locking up talented aircraft designers and the like hardly contributed to a strong military.

Some of the reviews of the deaths associated with Stalin give him credit for at least half the USSR's war dead...since he was as much responsible for it as Hitler.

He was tenacious in trying to preserve his nation for himself after it was attacked, that I can give him credit for. However, he also used his civilians as a "meat shield" (borrowing TW games terminology.)

[IliaDN]

The majority of countries have only a rather modest military...as long as there are totalitarian regimes out there, the democracies and republics are going to maintain larger armies than they would necessarily like to have.

While Stalin may have "believed" in a strong military, his purges weakened it. And locking up talented aircraft designers and the like hardly contributed to a strong military.

Some of the reviews of the deaths associated with Stalin give him credit for at least half the USSR's war dead...since he was as much responsible for it as Hitler.

He was tenacious in trying to preserve his nation for himself after it was attacked, that I can give him credit for. However, he also used his civilians as a "meat shield" (borrowing TW games terminology.)

How is it connected to the topic?
Any arguments except this one?

[Red Harvest]

How is it connected to the topic?
Any arguments except this one?

LOL, considering it was in response to one of your points, that's rich. So I guess you are trying to say you were off topic with your defense of Stalin?

Russia seems to have a national desire to be ruled by strongmen, even if they happen to be dictators. It is my hope that the country will mature, and take control of its own affairs, rather than wishing for a benevolent dictator (or any dictator) to "restore order."

[IliaDN]

1.I wanted to ask whom do you consider Stalin.
2.You are bit off topic about the current situation in my country.
Dictatorship could be one of the best variants of future, but not the desired one.

[Byzantine Prince]

~The system of the communist party in Russia was set up to keep one man in Russia in power until his death. If Lenin had lived longer or if Trtsky had lived longer they would be like Stalin except maybe less brutal. Still dictatorial though.~

[IliaDN]

~The system of the communist party in Russia was set up to keep one man in Russia in power until his death. If Lenin had lived longer or if Trtsky had lived longer they would be like Stalin except maybe less brutal. Still dictatorial though.~

Topic is about Stalin, stay on topic, please.

[edyzmedieval]

Stalin was a mad man....

And he killed 36 million people(officially, unoficially, many more!!)