Stalin's rise to power could be best described as criminal and prolific with madness. With this realization made, the only questions that need further analyzing are what are the variables that time and again made Stalin succeed, and could Stalin succeed today? .
A mixture of political brilliance, opportunity, and pure luck brought Josef Stalin to power. Stalin took every opportunity that was given to him and brought it to an extreme. He used the smallest task that he was offered to give himself more control. Every opening Stalin saw was a chance to become more powerful. Stalin also posed himself as a god to people of Russia. He realized that a balance of lies and truths along with entertainment could satisfy the general public. Stalin wasn't one who could "move the masses," he was a slow thinker, and he wasn't an intellectual. But, he knew his way around the system; you could say Stalin was street smart. Overall, Stalin was endowed with an immense amount of good luck. The path Stalin followed towards power was smoothly paved though his rule wasn't.
A major question; could Stalin succeed today? In a way Stalin still is succeeding. He left behind many followers; many people still believe his ideals, and laws. An Italian group called the Organization for the Construction of the Proletarian Party of Italy still follows Stalinism. They closed a seminar by saying: .
Long live the Soviet working class!.
Long live proletarian internationalism!.
Long live the immortal revolutionary doctrine, Marxism-Leninism!.
Eternal glory to great Stalin, the victorious figure head of communists all over the world!.
But in short, if Stalin were to rise to power today, he could not have the same success as he did ruling Russia after the revolution. First and foremost, a revolution would have to occur in order for him to have any chance of gaining power. When an entire country has a revolution all eyes are fixed on that country.
