The cult of Stalin is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has evolved from the total deification of the leader to official condemnation and subsequent revival in modern Russia. It was not just a personal whim of a dictator, but a product of deliberate propaganda, fear, and specific historical conditions.

Birth of the Cult: Father of the Nation

The emergence of the classic Stalin cult is usually dated back to the celebration of Stalin's 50th anniversary in December 1929. It was then that Soviet propaganda launched a mass campaign of glorifying the leader. His portraits, slogans, and quotes filled the space from large cities to remote villages. During this period, he became not just a political leader, but almost a sacred figure, the father of the nation.

The cult was supported by 3 pillars.

• Fear. Mass repressions, kulak liquidation, Gulag, and the Holodomor made any criticism or even doubt deadly dangerous.
• Control over information. The state monopolized history, statistics, press, and culture, creating the only true picture of the world.
• The myth of efficiency. Terror and millions of victims were presented as the necessary price for industrialization and victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Mechanics and Technology of the Cult

The glorification of Stalin was not solely his personal initiative. Researchers note that his closest circle, the party elite, intellectuals, cultural figures, and even the Russian Orthodox Church contributed to the formation and maintenance of this phenomenon. This was possible in the conditions of a closed society.

According to some sources, Stalin himself periodically criticized the praise directed at him. In a letter to playwright A. Afanasyev in 1933, he wrote: “Stop spreading about the leader. It's not good and perhaps not proper. It's not about the leader, but about collective leadership — the Central Committee of the party». However, as noted, in a military situation, he had to take into account Stalin as a political phenomenon, and to refuse this role was already impossible.

Condemnation and Thaw

After Stalin's death in 1953 and Nikita Khrushchev's secret report to the 20th Congress of the CPSU in 1956 on “The Cult of Personality and Its Consequences,” the Central Committee of the CPSU officially condemned the cult of personality. The dictator's body was removed from the Mausoleum, his portraits disappeared from squares, and references to violations of socialist legality appeared in textbooks.

However, as researchers note, there was no real work to understand the crimes of Stalinism. The Soviet system lifted the responsibility from itself and attributed everything to the excesses of one dictator. This created a fertile ground for the revival of myths in the future.

Cult of Stalin 2.0 in Modern Russia

Since the 2000s, and especially against the backdrop of the war against Ukraine, there has been a new wave of Stalin rehabilitation in Russia. Researchers associate this with the Kremlin's attempt to use the image of a strong hand to justify current victims and mobilize society.

This is manifested in specific actions.

Public Opinion and Consequences

Sociological data shows a worrying trend. If in 2016 about 28% of Russians considered Stalin a great leader, by 2021 this figure had risen to 56%. By 2023, nearly two-thirds (63%) of Russians had a positive view of Stalin, including nearly half (48%) of young people aged 18-24. For comparison: in the early 2000s, 45% viewed his role negatively, while now such opinions are only 14%.

This process has serious consequences. The rehabilitation of Stalin blurs the memory of the crimes of the totalitarian regime and creates a moral basis for new repressions. The organization “Memorial,” documenting Stalinist crimes, was liquidated in December 2021.

Conclusion

The cult of Stalin has gone through the path from state religion to official condemnation and back to partial rehabilitation. Today, it serves as an instrument for justifying authoritarianism and military aggression, which causes deep concern among historians and human rights defenders.

Permanent link to this publication: