From the book “Stalin” the seminal work of Historian Domenico Losurdo
It is incontestable that Stalin raised the standard of living. The Russian people don’t go hungry.
If you showed a lib this quote without context they’d cry “tankie”
Your average lib’s view of Stalin is to the right of Hitler’s
Libs would twist this into “red fash tankies literally quoting Hitler to justify Stalinist Russia” or something
Unlike modern libs, Hitler had to engage in the material reality of Russia on some level because he was fighting a war against it, rather than just going off of vibes and half-remembered Red Scare propaganda
Exactly like the classic fallacy they love to use:
Lib cites public CIA talking point as proof we need to bomb X country. You say, “The CIA lies about this stuff all the time, here’s an internal CIA memo where they discuss lying and controlling the media to generate fervor and consent for killing these other people” The lib says, “Aha, so the CIA isn’t a trustworthy source but you’re citing them here”
This way they can A. Dismiss criticism against CIA B. Maintain that the CIA is a trustworthy source. C. Prevent you from citing the CIA despite them supposedly believing it is trustworthy (when it says stuff they like).
How is it possible? How could this happen?
I’m currently reading Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend and these quotes are both referenced there as well. So satisfying to see the malding of Hitler and Goebbels once they realize they are absolutely fucked.
Interestingly, the British intelligence was way off too when it came to intelligence about the capabilities of the Soviets. Clearly nothing has changed as it sounds like today
Please tag me in a short review of the book when you’re finished if you want, I’m interested in that book
I’ll try to remember that, comrade! But @utopologist@hexbear.net really sums it up nicely so far!
The general format so far has been to present an anti-Stalin trope as true, then do a surgical, thorough take-down of that trope. The initial example, which I hope I don’t spoil, is Khrushchev presenting to (I believe) the Communist party members behind closed doors. He presents a massive diatribe against Stalin and the “cult of personality” he claims surrounded Stalin and how it was completely unwarranted and Stalin was an ineffective military leader, political leader, etc. Then the author has been going essentially passage by passage refuting this “take-down” and highlighting Stalin’s profound leadership.
Really opening up my eyes to Stalin as a leader and his views of the Communist project
Would love to hear if he critiques him, too - like his role in mass deportations of ethnic minorities, political suppression, and the cult of personality.
Dynasty Warriors but it’s the Eastern Front and you play as Stalin
