Joseph Stalin's Reign

Joseph Stalin Stalin was a dictator of the U.S.S.R from 1929 until 1953. He rose from bitter poverty to become ruler of the country that covered one sixth of all the land area in the world. Stalin ruled by terror for most of his years in office. He didn't allow anybody to say anything about his ideas. Stalin killed all that had helped him rise to power because he thought they would threaten his rules. Stalin was responsible for millions of deaths of Soviet peasants who discarded with his program called "Collective Agriculture" (government control of farms). Under Stalin's commands, the Soviet Union operated a worldwide network of communist parties. By the time Stalin died, communism had spread to other countries. His style of rule became known as "Stalinism" and continued to influence many other countries. The people of the Soviet Union began to hate Stalin, and most of the world was afraid of him. He changed the Soviet Union from once one of the most undeveloped countries to one of the most industrial nations. It became one of the military powers in the world.


Included in these changes, were his uses of the "Stalin method" for the industry.   All industries in Russia were under the control of the government.   He made a Five-Year Plan to limit production of consumer goods, and invest in state-owned mines, industry, railroads, and energy resources.   Russia became an industrialized strength with Stalin's help, but took serious consequences with the deaths of many.   In the end, the people were given less freedom than in the era of the czar.