Status Updates From Stalin — Tito

Djilas continued: ….. And yet, he despised people. He likely believed, first, that the human material left behind by capitalism was flawed, and second, that people had many weaknesses and so life in society could be regulated through force and fear.”

Djilas again: "Stalin was a complex figure... Some doubt whether Stalin even believed in communism. I think he did. Otherwise, he could not have inspired millions… Of course, his concept of communism was his own, but he still believed that such a society was possible in the distant future. …….

Djilas writing about Stalin “'We are not enthusiastic,' he replied, although we are doing every- thing we can to improve conditions in Russia.' Later, he used the word 'Russia' instead of 'Soviet Union' several times. I assumed this reflected the wartime emphasis on the Russian people's role - or perhaps it was what he truly believed.”

“As early as August 26, 1942, he had written to Stalin: ‘Ninety-five per cent of the population sides with the Soviet Union and its allies. Naturally, the presence of Red Army units in the Balkans would be far more desirable for our peoples than any other Allied forces.’”