Monday, April 12, 2004

"The Soviet Union and the Stalin Question", a study guide

* "The Soviet Union and the Stalin Question" (2004, compiled by M. Rodsky) [archive.is/FlKb3]:
Is it true that millions of people were murdered by the Bolsheviks? Was Stalin really an ally of Hitler at one time? Did Stalin betray the revolution? Was Stalin a butcher? What is the difference between Trotskyism and Marxism-Leninism? What is Revisionism? What about the Bolsheviks like Bukharin & Zinoviev?
If you struggle with any of these question, or if you want to debate these issues, you are going to want to participate in this study course.

1.) Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union -
Is it true that millions were executed in the Soviet Union by the Stalinist regime? What about the Ukrainian Famine, collectivisation, and the purges? What actually caused these deaths? Where are the numbers coming from? What are the factual statistics? Who are the people perpetuating these false myths? What role did fascism and sympathizers of fascism play in these myths? This study deals with these issues and more....
Main reading: Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union by Mario Sousa  [archive.is/9SQPC]
Extra readings: Exaggerations against Stalin [archive.is/44OuZ]

2.) 100,000,000 People killed by Communism: Fact or Fiction? -
In 1999, a book compiled by several authors entitled 'The Black Book of Communism' was published charging that Communism has caused the death of 100 Million people the world over.
This article is an exploration and critique of those numbers, why they are mathematically incorrect, and how many of the deaths were caused by other factors, not the fault of Communism.
Reading: Maoist Internationalist Movement's Review of the 'Black Book of Communism' [archive.is/88VnQ]

3.) The Famine in Ukraine: What is the Truth?
Was there really a man made famine in the Ukraine, or has this been exaggerated to the point of myth? What role did fascism play in creating this myth? Who are the people still perpetuating this myth today?
Main readings (Choose one or more from the following):
- In Search of a SOVIET HOLOCAUST (short reading) [archive.is/GXkb]
- The Hoax of the Man-Made Ukraine Famine of 1932-33 (longer reading) [archive.is/1CN2E]
Extra readings (optional; if attended the first two studies disregard):
- Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union by Mario Sousa (scroll down and read 'The myth concerning the famine in the Ukraine') [is.gd/qveviO]
- Maoist Internationalist Movement's Review of the 'Black Book of Communism' (scroll down and read 'The Ukrainian famine') [is.gd/kBuS0z]
- Fraud Famine & Fascism by Douglas Tottle, International Publishers (.pdf) [is.gd/ca7LxF]

4.) Stalin Vs. Trotsky Pt. I: Trotskyism or Leninism? -
What is the other side of the story Trotsky told? What are the differences between Trotsky's and Stalin's theories? Did Trotsky or Stalin in fact follow Lenin's theories? Is Trotskyism a form of revisionist Marxism?
Main reading: Trotskyism or Leninism By Harpal Brar (Preface to the book) [archive.is/y1HLb]
Extra readings:
- Trotskyism or Leninism by J. V. Stalin [archive.is/A9Mat]
- WHAT IS TROTSKYISM? (Communist Party Alliance) [archive.is/50pDi]
- The Problem With Trotsky by MIM [archive.is/E1G8T]

5.) Stalin Vs. Trotsky Pt. II: Slander and Truth -
Did Lenin really call for the removal of Stalin before he died? Did Stalin purge members of the Bolshevik party just to retain power?
Main reading:
- Stalin: Slander and Truth by C. Allen (a review of 'Stalin, A Political Biography, by Isaac Deutscher') [archive.is/mGZOo]
- Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union by Mario Sousa (scroll down and read 'More numerous liars') [is.gd/o2Rilp]
Extra readings:
- The Myth of the 'Lenin Testament' (Northstar Compass) [archive.is/xFSUO]
- Another view of Stalin by Ludo Martens [archive.is/oLm1J]

6.) Stalin Vs. Trotsky Pt. III: Trotskyism and Marxism-Leninism now -
What about Trotkyism and Stalinism in practice? Which theory is the correct one? Why is Trotskyism damaging to the Communist Movement?
Main readings:
- Why We Oppose Trotskyism (Communist Party Alliance) [archive.is/DnzZu]
- History of Trotskyism [archive.is/ReUcR]
- Trotskyism: The ideology and practice of betrayal [archive.is/k2SEZ]
Extra readings:
- An outline of Trotskyism's anti-Marxist theories (part one) by Joseph Green [archive.is/4NvlS]
- ON TROTSKYISM: Problems of theory and history by Kostas Mavrakis [archive.is/vo5e]
- Lu Xun on Stalin and Trotsky [archive.is/5eIdR]

7.) The Real Stalin Pt. I: What Was Stalin Really Like? -
Was Stalin a power hungry ego-maniac like people say? Is Stalinism a `Cult of the Individual'? Did the people love or fear Stalin? Why is Stalin important today? What about the so-called 'Hitler-Stalin' pact?
Main readings:
- The `Cult of the Individual' by Bill Bland [archive.is/k86jG]
- Marking 50 years since death of Stalin: What it means to defend Stalin today [archive.is/ZIF52]
- Maoist Internationalist Movement's Review of the 'Black Book of Communism' (scroll down and read 'Fascism' [is.gd/KH5Y3N] & 'Anti-semitism and genocide more generally' [is.gd/8vPzXx])
Extra Reading:
- Next to Stalin: Notes of a Bodyguard (1996, Northstar Compass), can be purchased at [is.gd/NLjfbZ]
- To You Beloved Comrade by Paul Robeson [archive.is/PPqb]
- W.E.B. Du Bois on Stalin [archive.is/OnSL2]
- El Nuevo Diario Interview with Fidel Castro: Blaming Stalin for everything would be historical simplism [archive.is/PZEmJ]

8.) The Real Stalin Pt. II: 'Koba the Dread' or 'Uncle Joe'? -
What was life like for people under Stalin? Was Stalin a butcher who killed millions?
Main reading:
- Review of PBS Series 'Stalin' [archive.is/dtQSV]
- Women in The Stalin Era by Anna Louise Strong (extract from the book) [archive.is/dIt62]
Extra readings:
- The Stalin Era by Anna Louise Strong (.pdf) [is.gd/Rm6JYP]
- Secret Documents (Northstar Compass), can be purchased at [is.gd/NLjfbZ], book review [archive.is/OO5D1]
- Life expectancy for Russian males lower now than under Stalin despite medical technology progress [archive.is/lsj3S]
- USSR progress on mortality under socialism [archive.is/4ahJ4]
- Deaths under Stalin exaggerated [archive.is/44OuZ]

9.) The Traitors Pt. I: Trotsky, Bukharin, Zinoviev, etc. -
Main readings:
- What about Bukharin instead of Stalin? [archive.is/yIb8x]
- Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union by Mario Sousa (Scroll down to read 'The kulaks and the counter-revolution' [is.gd/pcoQ2y], 'The purges of 1937' [is.gd/ozGLFM], 'Industrial sabotage' [is.gd/ZheOdl], 'Theft and corruption' [is.gd/dlLGU3], & 'Plans for a coup' [is.gd/6C7rMm])
Extra reading: "We told you so" page with quotes from Stalin and Trotsky [archive.is/UjmiK]

10.) The Traitors Pt. II: Trotsky, Bukharin, Zinoviev, etc. -
Main readings:
- Reply to a typical contemporary Trotskyist [archive.is/rfjMX]
- Reply II to a typical contemporary Trotskyist [archive.is/aZWtQ]
Extra readings:
- Stalin: Slander and Truth by C. Allen (focus on section pertaining to the 'Moscow trials') [is.gd/QESmuN]
- Trotskyism or Leninism By Harpal Brar (scroll down and read 'Lenin's death and Trotsky's attempt to substitute Trotskyism for Leninism' [is.gd/viLyyw], 'Trotskyism – a rallying point for counter-revolution' [is.gd/rh2TSG], - 'Emergence of the New Opposition' [is.gd/ySTnUn], 'Formation of an illegal party' [is.gd/5ZCfom], & as much more of the work as you can read...)

11.) The Traitors Pt. III: Trotsky, Bukharin, Zinoviev, etc. -
Main readings:
- Some notes from Kostas Mavrakis's book On Trotskyism [archive.is/k533k]
- Jean-Paul Sartre on Trotskyism's idealism [archive.is/rl17u]
Extra readings:
- Trotsky's phony defense of the USSR [archive.is/Jn0nD]
- Trotsky & Hitler: For the independence of the Ukraine! [archive.is/eeDQs]
- Trotsky admits aid to Japanese imperialism [archive.is/5ACGy]

12.) Revisionism Pt. I: Khrushchev's Revisionism -
Main reading: THE PROLETARIAN REVOLUTION AND KHRUSHCHOV'S REVISIONISM by Mao Zedong [archive.is/Y1Vx2]
Extra reading: Stalin And Khrushchev: A Dialectical Contrast [archive.is/Dzfbs]

13.) Revisionism Pt. II: The Question of 'Peaceful Coexistence' and the reversal of Stalinism -
Main reading: Peaceful Coexistence: Two Diametrically Opposed Policies [archive.is/VBdrB]
Extra reading: THE RESTORATION OF CAPITALISM IN THE SOVIET UNION," By W.B.Bland, For the Communist League (UK) [archive.is/sxaVO]


* The "Real Stalin" Series (by Dennis “Klo” McKinsey)
- Part One: October Revolution [archive.is/iA6Kp]
- Part Two: Civil War [archive.is/T0rlK]
- Part Three: The Time of NEP [archive.is/KeYsx]
- Part Four: Lenin’s “Testament” [archive.is/F4kpL]
- Part Five: Opposition [archive.is/jyY2u]
- Part Six: Industrialization [archive.is/fokZI]
- Part Seven: Collectivization [archive.is/D0LRt]
- Part Eight: Soviet Society [archive.is/ffRb5]
- Part Nine: Soviet Nations [archive.is/RHQN7]
- Part Ten: The Famine of 1932 [archive.is/8G93z]
- Part Eleven: Fifth Column [archive.is/wv72N]
- Part Twelve: The Moscow Trials [archive.is/a3rGd]
- Part Thirteen: Party Purges [archive.is/uikdM]
- Part Fourteen: Military Purges [archive.is/seepu]
- Part Fifteen: Yezhovshshina [archive.is/ktafy]
- Part Sixteen: GULAG [archive.is/22D77]
- Part Seventeen: Deportation of Nations [archive.is/L3kSF]
- Part Eighteen: Katyn [archive.is/UPPQc]
- Part Nineteen: Anticommunist Fairy Tales About Stalin [archive.is/ralbH]
- Part Twenty: Foreign Policy Before W.W. II [archive.is/giwcM]


Collected Works of Stalin [archive.is/O2TAL], being (.pdf) copies of volumes 1 through 14