I’ve got a soft spot for “Dialectical and Historical Materialism” (though I can’t claim I understand it all), but I remember liking the letter where he admonishes a comrade for calling themself a “Stalinist”. I wish I could remember which one that was!

I like his writing style, and the way he lays his points out. There’s still a lot in the archive for me to read!

  • Lenins2ndCat
    11•2 years ago

    He was ruling the country back then

    This isn’t how the soviet system worked.

    He was one of FIVE people on the upper most council, and hundreds and then thousands on the councils that reported to it. He had exactly the same powers that the other people on this council had. The USSR is not a presidential system, there was never one single leader of it.

    But don’t take my word for that, here is a quote directly from the CIA’s declassified documents:

    Even in Stalin’s time there was collective leadership. The Western idea of a dictator within the Communist setup is exaggerated. Misunderstandings on that subject are caused by a lack of comprehension of the real nature and organization of the Communist’s power structure. Stalin, although holding wide powers, was merely captain of a team and Krushchev will be the new captain. However, it does not appear that any of the present leaders will rise to the stature of Lenin and Stalin, so that it will be safer to assume that development in Moscow will be along the lines of what is called collective leadership, unless Western policies force the Soviets to streamline their power organization. The present situation is the most favorable from the point of view of upsetting the Communist dictatorship since the death of Stalin.