What Is Communism?

5. Stalinism and Communism

Under Joseph Stalin, the ideology underwent further evolutions. Stalin relied on state violence to subdue class conflict. He engaged in major “purges” of people that he viewed as threats to the communist order. Additionally, Stalin’s brand of communism was highly industrialized, and he worked to move the nation from a largely agricultural one to an industrialized one. In many ways, Stalin’s brand of communism is what led to its notorious reputation in the 20th century.

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