Date: 28 Oct 96 12:24:37 EST
Subject: M-TH: Stalin again


I liked Shane's summary of who Stalin was. At the same time, the tiny glimmer fo
truth in what the person says who doesn't want to see Stalin diabloized is that
marxists should not be tempted to put personal responsibility as a primary
course of historical periods (this would be idealism).
	Stalin was to be sure a vile creature, but not highly significant in
causing the defeat of the Russian revolution and the reinstitution of a ruling
class state in Russia. He was the mediocre puppet who was in the righ tplace at
the right time. Just like Hitler, without a million desperate and rabid bankrupt
shopkeepers and another couple of million desperate broken unemployed thugs
could never have smashed the German workers movement and massacred jews
communists gays and so on. 
	

JOhn Mullen
Socialisme International
France



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