Wyllow Hildner, 09

11-27-17
Joseph Stalin: Hero or Villain?

Joseph Stalin: Hero or Villain?

I believe that Joseph Stalin was a villain due to his forceful tactics and carelessness for the
welfare of his citizens.

When Joseph Stalin ruled over the Soviet Union, he put in place laws that were enforced using
fear tactics and extreme demands. Strict and unruly consequences were put upon those who disobeyed
them. According to the Soviet Resolution on Safekeeping Property of State Enterprises, Collective Farms
and Cooperatives and Strengthening Public Property, it states, Use judicial repressions of the highest
degree as measures of social protection against theft of kolhosp and collective property: execution by
shooting and confiscation of all property, variable under mitigating circumstances to ten years
imprisonment with confiscation of all property. Therefore, if a citizen were to keep his own land, which
was then considered property of the state, then the highest possible consequences would be put upon
him, without warnings or explanation. The desire for more agricultural growth does not justify shooting
and imprisonment. The lack of patience and understanding that Joseph Stalin contains for his citizens is
unjust for a leader who strives to be admired.

To add, Joseph Stalin displays careless judgement towards the welfare of the people he wishes
to rule. As the Oral History from Rom the Memories of Galina Gubenko states, More than a half of the
village population perished as a result of the famine. Stalins disregard towards the health and needs of
his people were also unjust of a leader. He knew this was going on, yet he prioritized the interest of the
U.S.S.R over the starvation of his citizens, which resulted in many deceased innocent people. Even
though Stalin may have thought this to be more important, he did not fully realize the effects of his
ignorance.

To conclude, Joseph Stalin may have been perceived as a hero by some, but I truly believe he
was a villain because of his lack of humanity and compassion towards the citizens of the Soviet Union.