Anti-Stalinism
Anti-Stalinism refers to opposition to Joseph Stalin, his ideas, his legacy, and Marxism–Leninism more broadly. This opposition is an extension of anti-communism, although some anti-Stalinists, such as Trotskyists and "left"-communists, claim to be communists themselves. Some anti-revisionists[a] object to the word "Stalinism", but they are not anti-Stalinist.
Historical context of anti-Stalinism
The rise of anti-Stalinism can be traced back to the period following Stalin's death in 1953. After Stalin's assassination, Nikita Khrushchev, who succeeded Stalin as the Soviet Premier, began to implement counter-revolutionary policies and criticized Stalin's legacy. This process, known as De-Stalinization, involved the removal of Stalin's body from Lenin's Mausoleum, the renaming of cities and landmarks that bore Stalin's name, and the release of millions of convicted prisoners back into society causing crime rates to soar.
Analysis of anti-Stalinism
A materialist analysis of the past several decades shows that anti-Stalinism (and De-Stalinization more broadly) led to the weakening of the international communist movement and the eventual degeneration of the socialist camp; all of Eastern Europe (with the exception of Albania) went revisionist after 1956, severely rolling back the hard-gained efforts of the working class.
Relationship between anti-Stalinism and Trotskyism
Trotskyism, an ideology based on the ideas of Leon Trotsky, had been defeated as an ideology. However, after Khrushchev's "secret speech" in 1956, Trotskyism made a comeback. Khrushchev himself was known to have been influenced by Trotskyist ideas,[1] which further contributed to the resurgence of Trotskyism.
Implications of anti-Stalinism on Leninism
Anti-Stalinism is, by default, anti-Leninism. The tearing down of Lenin statues in Eastern Europe was not preceded by a campaign against Lenin's legacy and ideas, as the attacks against Stalin were enough.[2] Anti-Stalinism often serves as a proxy for anti-Leninism, allowing critics to target Stalin and his legacy without directly confronting Lenin's ideas or legacy.
See also
References
- ↑ TheFinnishBolshevik (November 20, 2022). Sources of khrushchevite revisionism (just some thoughts). Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ↑ Another View of Stalin by Ludo Martens. pp. 2.
"For thirty-five years, the revisionists worked to destroy Stalin. Once Stalin was demolished, Lenin was liquidated with a flick of the wrist. Gorbachev carried on by leading, during his five years of glastnost, a crusade against "Stalinism". Notice that the dismantling of Lenin's statues was not proceeded by a political campaign against his work. The campaign against Stalin was sufficient. Once Stalin's ideas were attacked, vilified and destroyed, it became clear that Lenin's ideas had suffered the same fate."
Notes
- ↑ Maoists are revisionists, this article is not referring to them