Stalin a Great Leader?

There are many allegations leveled against Joseph Stalin some of these are true but they definitely have a background. The important thing to remember about Stalin is that in the final analysis, he raised the Russian state from an agrarian environment to industrial power. One of the criticisms leveled against Stalin is that he did not send his condolences on the death of Gandhi. The reason is simple he did not approve of the policy of non-violence and ahimsa initiated by Gandhi. Secondly, we must remember that millions of Indians were also happy that Gandhi was killed and that was the reason Godse shot him dead for his policy of appeasement. 

 The Katyn massacre is also held against him. It is true but you have to see from Stalin’s point of view. He was out to make Russia a superpower and control Poland and so he let the free officers be killed. It was a game of power. Stalin got Trotsky killed but mind you, had Trotsky got the chance he would have got Stalin killed. Trotsky set up the concentration camps under Lenin and he was also responsible for the murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. We must focus on the fact that Stalin raised Russia from an agrarian society to advanced military power to rival the US. He did commit atrocities but then if he had not kept discipline Russia would not have come up as it is now. It is sad that Gorbachev frittered away everything Stalin had built. Stalin’s personal life is a mess but that is outside the purview of his achievement. He was definitely a great leader.