Stalin as Revolutionary, 1879-1929: A Study in History and Personality

Stalin #1

by Robert C. Tucker

Известный американский политолог, профессор Роберт Такер исследует важный период в жизни И. Сталина, начиная с первых лет революционной деятельности до конца 20-х годов. Как формируется диктатор? Почему складывается деспотический режим? Эти и другие вопросы, связанные с анализом личности И. Сталина, Р. Такер рассматривает на широком фоне событий истории советского общества.Книга, написанная ярко и увлекательно, позволяет глубже понять истоки трагического явления XX века — сталинизма.

Genres: History, Biography, Russia, Politics, Russian History, Soviet Union, Nonfiction

564 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1973

About the author

A scholar of Marxism and the Soviet Union, Robert Tucker studied at Harvard University. While working on a doctorate in philosophy, he spent two years as a translator for the United States Embassy in Moscow, where he met his wife Evgeniya Pestretsova. His inability to gain an exit visa for her when he returned to the United States in 1946, which proved a key experience in stimulating his studies.

After completing his dissertation, Tucker worked for the RAND Corporation and taught at Indiana University. He wrote a number of books about Marxism and Stalinism, most notably a two-volume biography of Josef Stalin which adopted a psychological interpretation to explain how Stalin gained and used power.

Reviews

[João Nunes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wonder why one writes a biography about someone if you are only absolutely willing to criticize or demonize every single thing about that person. I mean, everyone like me, who had to grow up in Western schools, already has nails carved all over our ears about "how bad Stalin" was. We don't actually need more crap like this, and if you eat crap like this as the truth, then I'm absolutely sorry about your level of understanding of history and the world. Every time I read something like this, I actually become more interested in knowing the entire truth since it's easy to suspect the reliability of the sources of this book.
Nevertheless, the beginning of the book is engaging, and the author's philosophical knowledge is satisfactory. At least, Lenin and communism are not portrayed as hell on earth, which is the only reason why I actually finished the book.
I could write more, but I don't want to lose any more time with this book.
Avoid it!!

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Prediction is hard, especially about the future."---Yogi Barra. So is prediction about the past, also known as psychohistory. Princeton historian Robert C. Tucker opted to utilize the pathbreaking work of Swiss psychohistorian Erik Erikson (YOUNG MAN LUTHER, GANDHI'S TRUTH) to delve into the mind of Joseph Stalin from the early days in Georgia to the year he assumed absolute power by ousting Trotsky from the USSR. What intrigues Tucker is how Stalin first invented a persona for himself, "Koba", the tough Georgian peasant, and as he rose through the ranks of the Bolshevik Party reinvented his autobiography as the always on-the-spot heir apparent to Lenin. Everything Stalin told the world about himself, from his parents to his stay and expulsion from the theological seminary to how and when he met Lenin was false but also extremely useful to the future vozd. For Tucker, that is the clue that reveals how a file clerk came to rule the largest nation on earth.

[John]

I have admired Robert Tucker's work for decades now, and I am glad at long last to take up the first of his two volume study of Stalin.
After reading about 200 pages, I would say that Montefiore's recent (2009) book, "Young Stalin," has superceded Tucker's work in its account of events, but then again how could it not. Tucker published this book in 1973, well before the opening up to Western historians of many archives that preserve relevant documents. Tucker's subject, however, which isn't Montefiore's subject, is the development of the dictatorial personality in Stalin, and I'm not aware of any extended work that is so successful as Tucker's.
At this point, it's clear from Tucker's account that Stalin didn't set out to become the monster he became. To be sure, he was quite aggressive. He possessed extraordinary gifts of duplicity, intrigue and treachery. Nonetheless, young Stalin was not the old Stalin. I am reading this volume eagerly, and I look forward to reading the second volume, which should recount the further transformations in Stalin and the circumstances in which they occurred from 1928 until his death in 1953, when the young Stalin morphed into a murderous dictator.
The change in tone of biography between 1973 and 2009 is quite striking, and I have noted this change in many books. Tucker writes in a very dispassionate, analytical voice, while Montefiore presents an exciting (and deeply researched and richly documented) narrative along with so much sensory detail that one can almost see the story unfolding as if in a movie.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to see Tucker speak to get a feel for him:

Robert Tucker - Russia Since the Communist Revolution - 1984 Interview [29 min]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85gY7...

[Jacob Pointon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author's tendency to psychoanalyze Stalin and the Bolsheviks is rather annoying. Would have been better if that was all discarded.

[Cabe Cupit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great piece on Stalin and how he came about to his dictatorial rule. From Stalin as a young boy to the age of 50, this book paints a vivid picture on how this tyrant rose from nothing to supreme rule. What sets this book apart from other books is the dive into Stalin's personality rather than just a retelling of history. Detailing the events is simple, but attempting to explain them adds a deeper level of complexity that is executed well.

Overall, this book is a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Sambasivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In continuation of the study of Russian History, particularly on Stalin, read this with great interest.
The author clearly analyses the troika of Lenin Trotsky and Stalin. How did Stalin outmaneuver Trotsky and cemented his place in the party and then started to become a dictator. The volume one stops just before the great terror is unleashed by Stalin.
Though with handicaps in terms of charisma, speaking power and statesmanship, Stalin still trumped Trotsky through sheer willpower, diligence and cunning.
This story comes out very well.
Also Lenin, during his last days wanted to oust Stalin from the post of GenSec. And wanted Trotsky to be his political successor.
But fate had decided otherwise in favour of Stalin and unfortunately history had to suffer millions of brutal deaths in the subsequent decade.
Excellent eye opener.

[wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting way to approach this topic. Since Stalin was such a freak about lots of things...hint, anyone that became his enemy usually got killed or just disappeared.....it is hard to write a REAL biography. Let's face it, if a biographer (while Stalin was alive) said something true, but Stalin didn't like it....well just refer to my above comment. What Mr. Tucker did was write a history of the Soviet Revolution, with special emphasis on Stalin. Some true info did get out about Stalin, but other stuff was surmised. It really is the best he could do. Very well researched, but not exactly a chronological flow. Mr. Tucker used primary sources (speeches and writings plus diaries), and that allowed him to move forward in a chronological way with flashbacks to explain areas and expand his thoughts. Since it is also on Lenin, and Trotsky and others, in could not follow a straight chronological thought pattern. I liked the material and history presented. I now feel I understand just how crazy (but ruthless) Stalin was. I mean, Stalin had Trotsky killed, and I now wonder if he helped push Lenin into the grave early, too. It's a read.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author’s method of using a social psychology approach behind Stalin’s personality beginning in childhood , to help explain Stalin’s behavior during his adult life.
How he acquired his “revolutionary name” Stalin.
I found it interesting how Stalin created the Cult of Lenin, Leninism after Lenin died and then approved of his own cult of personality , Stalinism, 8 years later.
I learned that Marx never mentioned “a dictatorship of the proletariat “, that was Lenin’s own interpretation ; Learning about Lenin’s”Testament”, the postscript especially, , and the fatal end that awaited those who read it.
Reading about the bureaucracy and all the Minutia involved .
And lastly, all the different Russian name’s pronunciations.

[Eric Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very well researched and written history of Stalin's initial years and involvement in the Revolution led by Lenin. If you have any interest in Stalin and the Marxist/Leninist movement of the early 20th century, this is a book you'll want to read.

Sadly, the author planned a three volume series, but did not live long enough to publish the third volume. I have the second volume on my shelf and intend to give it a perusal sometime soon, though.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stalin as a Revolutionary was very fascinating. Tucker takes the path less traveled and goes beyond Stalin the historical figure and Stalin the dictator and instead looks at Stalin the psychologically flawed young man, Stalin the stickler for detail, and Stalin the inattentive spouse and father.

[Otto]

Stalin won the argument. He convinced the majority of the Bolsheviks that his theoretical interpretation and practical line of action was correct in critical periods. This allowed him to centralize personal power without major objection.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading this long political history of Josef Stalin since July. Tucker is a prodigious researcher and he leaves no stone unturned as he charts the rise of the Georgian revolutionary from Bolshevik activist to the Supreme leader of the Soviet Union. The book is very detailed and I found that it was best digested and appreciated in small bites.

Stalin was a masterful politician who outmaneuvered many other Bolshevik leaders that had superior revolutionary and ideological credentials then he. in finishing the book in the final days of the Trump presidency one cannot but compare Stalin to Trump. The fortunate thing for the United States is that Trump lacks the malevolent courage and ruthlessness that drove Stalin to power and allowed him to retain his hold on power for over 25 years.
My guess is that this book is too detailed and filled with lots of arcane stuff for the general reader. Still i found itth the effort

[William Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a real deep, academic interest in Russian history, you might like this one. I minored in Russian history, and it did me in. It is extremely detailed and long, showing exactly how Stalin, the least impressive of Lenin's underlings, rose from obscurity in Georgia to end the dictator he became by 1928. It is volume 1 of 2 volumes, which were to be 3. The second deals with Stalin in Power. I have that one, but it will be a while before I wade into that one. As I said, detailed, and long.

[Hywel Kane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched, at times fairly dense. The author is very even handed, neither treating his subject as the embodiment of all evil nor with indulgence.

The psychoanalysis felt a little over emphasized, drawing a number of conclusions about the inner workings of Stalins mind from very limited evidence.

[Joseph Donigian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent history.

A history of Iosef Stalin, his last name, has like 12-13 letters in it. This gives Stalin's childhood in the Georgian province of Russia until 1929. His 50th birthday.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic study of Stalin before he became dictator of the USSR, delving deeply into his personal history and the formation of his personality. Tucker is especially strong on the relationship between Lenin and Stalin.

[AppoX7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright, nothing special, no innovative revelations found within. Albeit it was written well and there was effort at avoiding bias.

[David Rodish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really made me wonder what the Soviet Union would’ve looked like had Bukharin become the successor to Lenin