The Stalinist Dictatorship (Arnold Readers in History) - Tapa dura

This study of the Stalinist regime looks at it from three different perspectives. The first section focuses on interpretations of Stalin's character and attempts to explain the everlasting puzzle of the relationship between events and personality. The second section looks at Stalin's role within the Soviet Union, and sees him as only one part (albeit an important one) of a complex culture of politics and administration. The final section examines the ways in which the Soviet people handled socialism, and how Stalinism functioned on the ground.