Episode 6 - The Great Retreat” and The Build-up to War

This episode discusses with some of the most controversial policies of the Stalin era from the ban on abortions to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.  Myth #1 Myth: in the 1930s socialism the Soviet Union took a right-wing turn or regressed. Historians accuse Stalin betraying socialism, embracing nationalism and conservatism, etc.  Critique: The commitment to build socialism remained, but the material reality dictated that the leadership of the soviet union had to make pragmatic concessions in the  long term survival of the socialist project. Synthesis: all the archival evidence suggests that Stalin and the soviet leaders remained committed to building socialism, but the pressures capitalist encirclement, the rise facism and the increasing prospect of another world war, and internal sabotage were a reality that could not be resolved through idealism.    Myth #2 Myth: Stalin was a misogynist and anti-feminist because he banned abortions Critique: Women in the Soviet Union under Stalin had the best access in the world to education, employment opportunities, voting rights - and the ‘anti-abortion’ policy itself was meant to progressive, it gave mothers welfare that wasn’t available anywhere in the world (childcare, maternity leave, women keep same pay at work, food supplements, etc.). Synthesis: abortion remained illegal in the UK and US until the 1970s (the soviets re-legalised abortions in 1955), the reality is that social attitudes at the time were more conservative - even leading feminist thinkers in the Soviet Union like Kollontai saw abortion as a ‘necessary evil’, that would be abolished once socialism was achieved.    Myth #3 Myth/Thesis: Stalin was unnecessarily “paranoid” and threats towards the USSR only existed in his suspicious, untrusting mind. Critique/anti-thesis: There were numerous threats towards the USSR. Absurd that anyone argues that Stalin was too paranoid as this period literally involves the rise of Hitler and extremely aggressive Japanese militarism, therefore creating the possibility of a two-front war for the USSR.  Conclusion/synthesis: Stalin was completely justified to be “paranoid” about the threats to the USSR, as Japanese aggression in the 1930s and the Nazi invasion of 1941 (the largest military invasion in human history) demonstrated.   Myth #4 Myth/Thesis: Stalin abandoned world revolution Critique/anti-thesis: By the time of Stalin’s death in 1953, the socialist world had undergone an unprecedented expansion, encompassing roughly one-third of the global population. For example, huge support was provided to the Republic during the Spanish Civil War.  Conclusion/synthesis: Largely of Trotskyite origin, this myth needs to be laid to rest. Stalin never turned his back on world revolution. It remained a permanent part of his mental map.    Myth #5 Myth/Thesis: The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a blunder/huge mistake and a betrayal of communist principles.  Critique/anti-thesis: It bought the Soviet Union time and allowed the USSR was able to shift its entire western boundary 200-300 kilometres further into the heart of Europe. It was a desperate tactical decision in extraordinarily difficult circumstances to secure the USSR.  Conclusion/synthesis: It was ultimately a successful tactical choice as it was the foundation of the later Soviet victory.