Re: The Stalinization Process

Andrew and John,
        As regards the question of the development of Stalinism,
or as you phrase it "Stalinization," I would
turn your attention to the analysis produced by foremost opponent of
Stalinism through the 1920's and 30's. For a most thorough discussion of
the historical, political, and sociological roots of "socialism in one
country" it is absolutely necessary, whatever ones opinion on the matter,
to familiarize onself with the writings of Leon Trotsky, most specifically
"The Revolution Betrayed: What is the Soviet Union and Where is it Going?" 

Sincerely,
Andrea Grant-Friedman

On Sun, 28 Nov 1999 John_R_Groves@ferris.edu wrote:

> Andrew wrote: "You cannot simply assert that (a) or/and (b) leads to 
>Stalinism.
> You have to show by logic and facts that this is an inevitable outcome.
> 
> Ok, here it is: (I will do it briefly and roughly since I don't care for 
>long
> posts myself.)
> 
> (a) Eliminating markets will encounter large resistance. Violence on a 
>massive
> scale will be required to overcome it.
> So the revolution is bloody. One will also need an ideology that justifies
> massive bloodshed. It also requires people willing to engage in bloody 
>acts.
> That gets me part of the way.
> 
> The next step is (b) dictatorship of the proletariat, which is, of course,
> necessary to keep the capitalists from returning to power. Such a 
>dictatorship
> generally gets rid of dissent (those advocating maybe a market here, a 
>market
> there) and so engages in censorship.
> 
> Now let's settle down to communism:
> Keeping markets from forming will require force. Keeping the idea of 
>markets
> down will also require force in the form of censorship.
> It will require much interference and control in daily affairs, and a 
>police
> state is a likely result. Those people who were willing to do the 
>"necessary"
> bloody actions will still be around to utilize their special methods.
> 
> Replacing markets will require the input/output system mentioned in an 
>earlier
> post.
> Such a system won't be able to compete with capitalist systems of 
>production and
> distribution, or, if a world-wide revolution occurs, production and 
>distribution
> will be found to be more difficult when one is actually faced with it.
> 
> This fact will have to be kept from the people, as  will, in fact, much 
>other
> information. The argument will be that the gov't must protect its 
>citizens from
> capitalist propaganda. And capitlist agents will be seen everywhere. But 
>some
> will find out. Or they will just criticize for whatever reason. Either 
>way, its
> out to the gulag for some, death for others, and an inefficient system 
>for all.
> 
> Ok, that is my general idea. Let's hear a plausible scenario that 
>eliminates
> markets and uses a dictatorship and then avoids Stalinism or some equally
> horrific outcome.
> 
> Randy Groves
> 
> 
> 
>