From Lenin to Stalin

Serge, Victor

Publisher: Monad Press
Year First Published: {13738 From Lenin to Stalin FROM LENIN TO STALIN Serge, Victor Monad Press A fascinating, first-hand account of the Stalinist takeover in Russia. 1937 1973 160pp BC13738s-LenintoStalin.jpg B Book A fascinating, first-hand account of the Stalinist takeover in Russia. Victor Serge had a history in left circles in Europe before the Bolshevik Revolution, and went to Russia early in 1919. He became a member of the party and worked with the Communist International. As Stalin consolidated his power, Serge threw in his lot with the left opposition. As a result he was subjected to increasing harassment and finally left the country in 1936, barely escaping the purge trials. In the west, he continued to write about the revolutionary movement. Some of his earlier works were seized and suppressed by the secret police before he left Russia, and have never been published. The book is largely anecdotal rather than analytical, but precisely for this reason it may give a better taste of the flavour of the tines than a drier academic treatment could. The slanders, manipulations, murders, and other tactics of the Stalinist bureaucracy are all relatively well known, although not nearly as well as they should be - many of their lies are still believed. This vividly describes their application. But perhaps the most compelling part of the narrative is that portion dealing with the attitude of the old Bolsheviks to Stalin. Serge's description of their simple-minded faith in the party as a revolutionary instrument, which led them to remain loyal to it after it was completely taken over by Stalin and his henchmen in the mistaken belief that the party would survive any temporary aberrations forced on it by the leader, is powerfully revealing. This helps in part to explain the bogus confessions obtained from the victims of the Moscow trials. It's a grim, gripping story. [Reviewed by Ulli Diemer] Table of Contents A Note about the Author From Lenin to Stalin 1. March 1918, the Headless Revolution 2. The Revolution Finds a Man 3. The Second Head of the Revolution 4. Slander, a Strong Poison 5. The March to Power 6. The Victory of November 7, 1917 7. The Great Years 8. The Third International 9. The NEP and the Opposition 10. Zinoviev 11. The Communist International and the Chinese Revolution 12. Discord in the Central Committee 13. Defeats, Proscriptions, Capitulations 14. From Lenin to Stalin 15. Industrialization and Collectivization 16. Outlawed 17. Reminiscences 18. The Persecution of Women 19. Terror and Economic Recovery 20. The Brilliant and Beloved Leader 21. Assassination 22. Two Documents 23. The Apotheosis 24. Fear 25. The Old Man - The Fourth International 26. Ambush in Spain 27. The Truth in the Service of Socialism Other Essays 1. Life and Culture in 1918 2. Lenin and Imperialism 3. The End of Henry Yagoda 4. Stalin's Terror continues with Envoy's Recall 5. The Condition of Women 6. Managed Science, Literature, and Pedagogy Notes CX7118 1 true true false CX7118.htm [0xc0014d8a50 0xc0000dea80 0xc000eba0f0 0xc000ebb0e0 0xc001f5a630 0xc001fa0ab0 0xc001fc5080 0xc0004af140 0xc0006b8150] Cx}
Year Published: 1973
Pages: 160pp Resource Type: Book
Cx Number: CX7118

A fascinating, first-hand account of the Stalinist takeover in Russia.

Abstract:
A fascinating, first-hand account of the Stalinist takeover in Russia.

Victor Serge had a history in left circles in Europe before the Bolshevik Revolution, and went to Russia early in 1919. He became a member of the party and worked with the Communist International. As Stalin consolidated his power, Serge threw in his lot with the left opposition. As a result he was subjected to increasing harassment and finally left the country in 1936, barely escaping the purge trials. In the west, he continued to write about the revolutionary movement. Some of his earlier works were seized and suppressed by the secret police before he left Russia, and have never been published.

The book is largely anecdotal rather than analytical, but precisely for this reason it may give a better taste of the flavour of the tines than a drier academic treatment could.

The slanders, manipulations, murders, and other tactics of the Stalinist bureaucracy are all relatively well known, although not nearly as well as they should be - many of their lies are still believed. This vividly describes their application.

But perhaps the most compelling part of the narrative is that portion dealing with the attitude of the old Bolsheviks to Stalin. Serge's description of their simple-minded faith in the party as a revolutionary instrument, which led them to remain loyal to it after it was completely taken over by Stalin and his henchmen in the mistaken belief that the party would survive any temporary aberrations forced on it by the leader, is powerfully revealing. This helps in part to explain the bogus confessions obtained from the victims of the Moscow trials.

It's a grim, gripping story.

[Reviewed by Ulli Diemer]

Table of Contents

A Note about the Author
From Lenin to Stalin
1. March 1918, the Headless Revolution
2. The Revolution Finds a Man
3. The Second Head of the Revolution
4. Slander, a Strong Poison
5. The March to Power
6. The Victory of November 7, 1917
7. The Great Years
8. The Third International
9. The NEP and the Opposition
10. Zinoviev
11. The Communist International and the Chinese Revolution
12. Discord in the Central Committee
13. Defeats, Proscriptions, Capitulations
14. From Lenin to Stalin
15. Industrialization and Collectivization
16. Outlawed
17. Reminiscences
18. The Persecution of Women
19. Terror and Economic Recovery
20. The Brilliant and Beloved Leader
21. Assassination
22. Two Documents
23. The Apotheosis
24. Fear
25. The Old Man - The Fourth International
26. Ambush in Spain
27. The Truth in the Service of Socialism

Other Essays
1. Life and Culture in 1918
2. Lenin and Imperialism
3. The End of Henry Yagoda
4. Stalin's Terror continues with Envoy's Recall
5. The Condition of Women
6. Managed Science, Literature, and Pedagogy

Notes

From Lenin to Stalin

Subject Headings