Stalin biography offers stark parallels for today’s political debates

Reading Stephen Kotkin’s acclaimed Stalin biography, the writer finds numerous episodes that shed light on today’s political discourse. Early Bolshevik ambitions to eliminate money and provide free services are likened to the Democratic Socialists of America’s calls for democratic workplace and housing control. The article points out the practical challenges of such aims, given the U.S. Constitution and the lack of a clear implementation roadmap.

Historical sidebars, including Lenin’s caretaker Spiridon Putin and Vladimir Putin’s 2005 speech on the Soviet Union’s fall, illustrate how past power dynamics echo in current Russian rhetoric. The author argues that Stalin’s willingness to use mass violence to create an industrial working class offers a cautionary tale for modern leftist movements that lack a dominant labor base. Finally, the piece reflects on how unpredictable wars, from World War I to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have shaped authoritarian ascents, warning against ignoring early signs of repression.