Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fifty Years Later, Russians Regard Stalin Positively
Angus Reid ^ | March 4, 2006

Posted on 03/04/2006 9:04:56 AM PST by lizol

Fifty Years Later, Russians Regard Stalin Positively

March 4, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Many adults in Russia think the tenure of one of the most notorious Soviet leaders was beneficial, according to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation. 47 per cent of respondents believe Josef Stalin played a positive role in the country’s history.

Stalin was the second leader of the Soviet Union, taking over after the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924. Stalin was responsible for a series of repressive campaigns—known as the Great Purge—during the 1930s. During his tenure, Stalin eliminated all possible political opposition through executions and internal exile.

Following the victory of the allies in World War II, the Soviet Union was established as one of the world’s superpowers. Stalin remained in control of the government and the Communist Party until his death in 1953. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, officially denounced Stalin’s personality cult and repression in 1956.

In a May 2005 interview with German newspaper Bild, current Russian president Vladimir Putin said, "Stalin was certainly a tyrant and many call him a criminal, but he was not a Nazi. It was not the Soviet forces who crossed the German border on June 22, 1941, but the contrary. That is the first thing we should not forget."

Polling Data

In your view, did Josef Stalin play a positive role or a negative role in Russian history?

Positive 47%

Negative 29%

Hard to answer 24%

Source: Public Opinion Foundation Methodology: Interviews with 1,500 Russian adults, conducted on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, 2006. Margin of error is 3.6 per cent.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Politics
KEYWORDS: cccp; china; communists; cpsu; gorbachev; gulag; gulags; kgb; kprf; kremlin; lenin; leningrad; mao; moscow; nkvd; ostalgia; premierputin; putin; reeducationcamps; russia; soviets; sovietunion; stalin; stalingrad; stalinism; supremesoviet; ussr; vladimirputin
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

1 posted on 03/04/2006 9:04:59 AM PST by lizol
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: lizol

Fit this into the "Russian people as hopeless mass, needing and respecting a tyrannical leader" perspective. Sigh.


2 posted on 03/04/2006 9:10:32 AM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol

As a side note, some 30 million Russians who did not think highly of Stalin while he was in power could not be reached for comment.


3 posted on 03/04/2006 9:11:18 AM PST by deaconblues
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol

Of course, it helps if 99.6% of the folks that might have voted negatively were dead.


4 posted on 03/04/2006 9:11:21 AM PST by stevem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol
Always felt that a fitting tribute to Stalin was that hundreds died at his funeral, crushed to death.

Uncle Joe was able to kill from the grave.

5 posted on 03/04/2006 9:12:18 AM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol

Heck, they're probably STILL afraid to answer honestly.


6 posted on 03/04/2006 9:12:39 AM PST by kenth (Phil! Phil Connors! I thought that was you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol
Always felt that a fitting tribute to Stalin was that hundreds died at his funeral, crushed to death.

Uncle Joe was able to kill from the grave.

7 posted on 03/04/2006 9:12:53 AM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol
Expect a news item soon declaring about attitudes towards Hitler are changing after the benefit of 60 yrs hindsight...NOT.

Stalin was a monster. If people still wanna view him positively AFTER they see the truth, thats their choice. But I'm not entirely convinced they know the truth in this case.
8 posted on 03/04/2006 9:16:42 AM PST by voletti (Awareness and Equanimity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol

Wonder what the results would be if the same poll was taken here in US?


9 posted on 03/04/2006 9:17:49 AM PST by Just mythoughts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts
:) 30% - Negative

20% - Positive

50% - Who the f*** was Stalin?

;)

10 posted on 03/04/2006 9:26:19 AM PST by kaiser80
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

Good point.


11 posted on 03/04/2006 9:27:29 AM PST by lizol (Liberal - a man with his mind open ... at both ends)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Wally_Kalbacken

In 2004 I was deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Uzbekistan. Evidence of the former USSR was everywhere. The local hires included many lovely young Central Asian women, well turned out and speaking excellent English (and Russian). One said to me, "I want you to know one thing: I admire Josef Stalin!"

I said, "Why, because he killed fifty million people!?"

The girl replied, "You need a strong hand for such a large country as the Soviet Union!"

This from a twenty-two year old.


12 posted on 03/04/2006 9:35:55 AM PST by elcid1970
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: deaconblues
As a side note, some 30 million Russians who did not think highly of Stalin while he was in power could not be reached for comment.

Not to mention the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that were never born to those families.

The majority of modern day Russians are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the sheeple that never dared to challenge the Soviet system.

13 posted on 03/04/2006 9:36:38 AM PST by Polybius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: lizol

The question was his role in history. Historically, when he took over Russia was an agrarian second-rate power. When he died, it was an industrialized superpower with a European empire and nuclear weapons. There's no doubt his role in Russian/Soviet history was positive.

The question should have been, "were Stalin's crimes superseded by his accomplishments?"


14 posted on 03/04/2006 9:41:23 AM PST by Cyclopean Squid (History is a work in progress)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol
lizol, this article is an outright lie, and just like the like so many of you put out about the Stalin monuments in Volgograd. I will say this again, there will be a revival of Stalinism in Russia when monkeys fly out of Lenin's butt.
15 posted on 03/04/2006 9:41:51 AM PST by GarySpFc (de oppresso liber)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GarySpFc

Why do you think this is a lie?

Do you think they falsified the outcome of that poll?

Or you just don't agree with it?


16 posted on 03/04/2006 9:44:31 AM PST by lizol (Liberal - a man with his mind open ... at both ends)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: GarySpFc
this article is an outright lie

Prove it to be a lie then...

17 posted on 03/04/2006 9:46:03 AM PST by kaiser80
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: kaiser80

Given the geography teacher rant of last week I think the "positive" would be closer to 45 to 50%. Back in the 70's Stalin was not a bad word, I learned the evil of Stalin from my father, not from high school, then along came Reagan.


18 posted on 03/04/2006 9:50:21 AM PST by Just mythoughts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: lizol

1400 years later, muslims regard the pedophile prophet positively.


19 posted on 03/04/2006 9:57:43 AM PST by indcons (The MSM - Mainstream Slime Merchants)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lizol
Fifty Years Later, Russians (some Russians) remain mentally retarded.


20 posted on 03/04/2006 10:12:40 AM PST by FormerACLUmember (No program, no ideas, no clue: The democrats!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson