Why Does Joseph Stalin Matter?

Recorded on January 25, 2018.
“Joseph Stalin, Soviet dictator, creator of great power, and destroyer of tens of millions of lives …” Thus begins this episode of Uncommon Knowledge, which dives into the biography of Joseph Stalin. This episode’s guest, Stephen Kotkin, author of Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929-1941(www.amazon.com/Stalin-Waiting..., examines the political career of Joseph Stalin in the years leading up to World War II, his domination over the Soviet Union, and the terror he inspired by the Great Purge from 1936-38.
“Why does Joseph Stalin matter?” is a key question for Kotkin, as he explains the history of the Soviet Union and Stalin's enduring impact on his country and the world. Kotkin argues that Stalin is the “gold standard for dictatorships” in regard to the amount of power he managed to obtain and wield throughout his lifetime. Stalin stands out because not only was he able to build a massive amount of military power, he managed to stay in power for three decades, much longer than any comparable dictator.
Kotkin and Robinson discuss collectivization and communism and how Stalin’s regime believed it had to eradicate capitalism within the USSR even in regions where capitalism was bringing economic success to the peasants, with the potential of destabilizing the regime. This led to the Great Purge, a campaign of political repression that resulted in the exile and execution of millions of people.
For the full transcript go to
www.hoover.org/research/why-d...
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[@bastiatintheandes4958]

Greetings from Quito, Ecuador. I will never stop being amazed by the supreme interviewing gifts of Peter Robinson. Lean, well informed, and above all, lets us live the wealth of his fantastic guests.

[@jlondon158]

If I close my eyes , I can imagine that Joe Pesci is an Historical Genius.

[@MoralistaDefinitivo]

This guy would need a 10 hour interview.

[@AgendaFiles]

www.archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@welderella]

“Political crimes for speaking the truth”.....sounds familiar.

[@jayeye4798]

Kotkin's perfect delivery of his responses are disconcerting - not because of the content, but because of his lack of mistakes, ums, ahs, and inconsistent cadence. I think he self-corrected exactly one time. This dude is a machine. He's the academic Terminator. You know he's reading the back side of his retina.

[@chegadesuade]

His two books on Stalin are the most exhaustive yet engrossing biographies I've ever read, they're truly amazing.

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

Yes indeed.

[@welderella]

We heard about Hitler all the time, but not so much about Stalin, in school.

[@bobjenkins4925]

Peter must be quite happy at how many young people these days are interested in this kind of content. Great stuff.

[@PresterMike]

Millennial here. I love it

[@OSCOCAT]

I'm amazed that in this day and age, when long format theatrical documentaries are so popular, that no one has made a multi-part movie explaining what happened in Russia much in the same manner as Band of Brothers and From the Earth to the Moon.

[@garyjohnston8543]

Beautiful talk. I also love the talking pace of the guest.

[@cybercab]

Very interesting stuff. Do they even teach this in school anymore? I suspect the answer is no.

[@doctorgman1]

Yes. Beginning a unit on Stalin tomorrow in my IB History class. High school seniors

[@hanskloss7726]

@@doctorgman1 Do they let you compare the ideology of these dark times to what some prominent politicians of today say?

[@calculatedmasochism7058]

When Stephen Kotkin speaks, a wise man shuts up

[@Rasectos]

Joe Pesci is my favorite Stalin scholar.

[@lukecage9836]

Rasectos lol now all I hear is Pesci 😂.

[@shaolin89]

Haha I knew he looked like someone I had seen before. Its indeed Pesci!

[@Digiphex]

A Buick never had positraction.

[@bazzatheblue]

If this guy entered a competition to do Pesci impersonations,he'd win hands down every time.

[@Maelli535]

Yeah - and as George Carlin truly says, it's amazing how much Pesci can take care of with a simple baseball bat!

[@alekseysoldatenkov5675]

This is ABSOLUTELY fascinating. Thank you for uploading.

[@baxter987]

This is amazing. Was he crying at some point? 20:30 Robinson appeared to pick something up. This guy speaks with emotion. I can listen to him for days

[@CoronaryArteryDisease.]

This is such a great explanation of a type of political thinking that is extremely dangerous and I wish more people knew about this history. It is so fascinating, I don’t know why people don’t study it more

[@southernc4919]

this should have 500,000,000 views and every university professor should see this

[@chuckymcchuckface8768]

I once asked a man whom I knew was an intelligen fellow and a historian what would he most like in life... "To remember everything I read" he said. Wise man I thought!

[@b.terenceharwick3222]

Concise and to the point. Explores the raw notion of power. Accumulation of raw power, independent of anyone else's views. Personal loyalty above all else. Of perennial significance.

[@muslimmetalman]

total pure capitalism

[@4metoknow]

Masterful - Joe Pesci look alike/sound alike is the bomb!

[@Nathantodd2012]

Should we feel nervous when we hear government officials talk about class warfare, pitting the haves with the have nots and etc.

[@freekheijting7346]

As always, great interview giving great insights. And you are certainly reaching curious Millennials! Peter Robinson is a formidable interviewer. Going strong since decades!

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-paradoxes-of-power-audio archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@papastalin4534]

Why do I matter? You're going to Siberia

[@VertigoX26]

I've always wondered what it would be like to go to the Gulag.

[@DialecticalMaterialismRocks]

Read Grover Furr

[@vertxxgg]

STALIN was a Georgian Ortodox Seminarist he hate OTOMANS and NAZIS were controled from ISTAMBUL...to save GEORGIA and Beria's ARMENIA the Russian must stop Nazis that were in the payroll of Muslims of Jerusalem and Istambul

[@kyleshick5467]

Papa Stalin LOL

[@soyusmaximus7176]

@@garyvonneida4065 There is no truth in the news and no news in the truth!

[@winmine0327]

Wish I could take all of this guy's classes.

[@zachstott8354]

Would love another video with Kotkin - he's brilliant

[@trolltoll2159]

"He always brings up Stalin" - Norm Macdonald

[@squamish4244]

When does Norm Macdonald say that? I tried googling it.

[@ClaimClam]

@@squamish4244 adam egret always says stalin was the bad guy because he wants hitler to look better

[@jomgelborn]

Thank you for this great interview.

[@LinusPerssonsTube]

Would really like to hear an episode or series of Hardcore History with Dan Carlin featuring Stephen Kotkin; or perhaps just an Uncommon Knowledge special with a similar setup. A subject like this needs more time to unfold the necessary nuance to properly explain the mechanisms behind the events.

[@cecilefox9136]

Absolutely fascinating history.

[@cavewebster5881]

Many, many thanks for this great content!

[@JonasBlom]

This is so great, thanks a lot. I only wish it lasted forever. Thanks for letting him explain it properly.

[@lashachakhunashvili1399]

Excellent as always, glad to have had a chance to attend his lecture in Tbilisi back in 2015

[@nryle]

Great Interview. Cannot wait for the next part.

[@chickenwretch]

First time I've seen Kotkin sitting quite still. Used to watching him rove on stage and into the audience. Socialism in the cities and capitalism in the countryside. A little like Americas fly-over country and progressive cities?

[@Jessica-tz3wb]

learned more about Russia in this talk than the whole history lessons in high school.

[@androidzombie4769]

you folks should put the author's amazon link in your description.

[@knockshinnoch1950]

Brilliant mind, fascinating discussion

[@kidwidacake]

Min 13-16 gave me chills.. History repeating itself.

[@squamish4244]

The irony of Stalin's collectivization and industrialization drive is that it was only possible due to the importation of machinery and skills developed by capitalism, particularly in the United States. Stalin purchased huge amounts of physical capital from the USA in the 1930s. I don't know if the Bolsheviks would have seen it as irony, though...they might have seen it as a way to go directly from a peasant society to a communist one and skip over the capitalist stage entirely in the outline laid down by Marxism.

[@aasldkfja]

As far as the obsession with Trotsky goes and the coerced confessions, I think it just means Stalin was deeply insecure. He needed affirmation that what he was doing was sound and tortured confessions from people to pad that insecurity.

[@Reconing1]

Millennial here. Avid viewer of Hoover Institutions. Please post more content!

[@victorydaydeepstate]

I must buy this book

[@PqV72MT4]

This guy is brilliant.

[@IllicitGreen]

absolutely fascinating interview and yes i am a millenial. thank u!

[@JoshuaSwan]

IllICITGRYNE I’m proud of you!

[@khrachvikkhrachvik7049]

Maybe read about how this propaganda's been completely debunked over and over again, then, millenial. :)

[@squamish4244]

Everyone knows millennials are the ruin of Western civilization, which is strange considering you haven't been around long enough to actually ruin anything.

[@just83542]

@@khrachvikkhrachvik7049 and yet you cannot provide one reference to this plentiful debunking, to help the Millenials education? For shame

[@MrRichiekaye]

Stephen Kotkin is the most impressive scholar and speaker I have ever listened to. (And I had Pearce Williams at Cornell and Spence at Yale.). Mastery over a vast catalog of sources, acute judicious use of them, perception into character beyond the page and clear expression of conclusions. I've watched many hours of his talks and am eager to learn from him.

[@Drumsgoon]

A few great speeches of him online

[@pendejo6466]

This guy is such a great story teller, and the interviewer asked all the right question, then let the professor finish his response.

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@frankmaitland1254]

Mr Richie Kaye you think this guy is a compelling speaker?

[@socialminds9894]

I just discovered him and I hope to find more of his work.

[@tomjohn8733]

Excellent documentary, a must read ...thank you!

[@Mdigi1982]

Always great to hear from Stephen Kotkin!

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

I am aware of the basic history Mr. Kotkin states. First time I have witnessed him. Reverent.

[@johnnantz16]

Wow, what an amazing interview. Thank you Dr. Kotkin for your incredible scholarship!

[@coreyclamp]

"...someone who knows more about the life of Joseph Stalin than Joseph Stalin knew about the life of Joseph Stalin." 1) That's a bold claim, given how much truth was buried in the Soviet Union, even in post-Stalin era. 2) Don't ever speak that sentence again... It took me a half hour to uncross my eyes.

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

True and valid comment compared to other's references to "Hollywood" thus FICTION.

[@mattwernecke2342]

look forward to reading your books.

[@jerrystephens9143]

so thankful for this

[@transkryption]

great interviews!

[@victorydaydeepstate]

This is wonderful

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-paradoxes-of-power-audio archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@giorgimerabishvili8194]

Hello, is Kotkin's biography of Stalin more reliable than of Robert Service?

[@Steve-Richter]

Interesting that Trotsky survived so long. Were all of his supporters Jewish? Did Stalin see Jews as a power block? Did that motivate his actions? Why do Peter and Kotkin not discuss this?

[@Drumsgoon]

Great interview, very clear answers.

[@dimitriosfromgreece4227]

AMAZING VIDEO LOVE YOU ❤❤❤

[@vangk30]

FASCINATNG interview!! Very revealing.

[@mariaspencersalt8946]

Thank you

[@jgribhamnz]

Ive read robert service stuff, and stalin by montefiore (amazing!!!), but heck this guy sounds like he may have a book too top them all. Very astute analysis, great interview

[@stevecoscia]

Wonderful interview. Stephen Kotkin speaks with such calm and eloquent authority. Thanks for posting this video.

[@vocalbunny7427]

While I do love the closing music, it seems a bit... too cheery after that closing statement lol.

[@AndyMak-jq1py]

Excellent interview

[@installwebercarburetorsona6159]

Interviewer is heavy handed in his restatements. If it's Stanford students in the audience surely such heavy handed and paternalistic statements undermine the very the very valuable and clear concise presentation by the author.

[@Run.Ran.Run1]

I love listening to intellectual conversation in my own New Yawk accent!

[@VeraMaier]

How degenerated ... brainwash is not "intellectual conversation"

[@michaelkrochek8823]

I know that after my death a pile of rubbish will be heaped on my grave, but the wind of History will sooner or later sweep it away without mercy. - Joseph Stalin (1943)

[@vman9591]

Source?

[@dimitriosfromgreece4227]

THANKS FOR THE VIDEO ❤❤❤❤

[@interianesq]

I could listen to this guy all day. Gotta love Bach, too.

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@gregswanepoel5710]

clear good speaker

[@iknowwhatsup2880]

The term useful idiots was coined by Lenin. This is what your leaders think of you.

[@AgendaFiles]

whoever added the noise-gate ruined the flow and sound quality to this video.

[@Gbd279]

where's part two

[@rickpur100]

Dr. Kotkin probably does a great Joe Pesci impression

[@DenverDeathrock]

I think Stalin's personality disorder issues are seen in his bizarre actions. He sees everyone as either a good friend or a bitter enemy. There's no in between. Like people with personality disorders, he's always afraid of betrayal and abandonment. He can't take criticism of any kind without feeling he's being personally attacked. There's a lack of empathy and a strong sense of objectifying people for his own ends regardless of the consequence to them. Manipulation, superficial charm when it serves his purpose, pathological lying, etc.

[@goldsher]

Jason West sociopathic, perhaps narcissistic borderline

[@benwitt6902]

Stalin, hero of the left.

[@dimitriosfromgreece4227]

AMAZING VIDEO BRAVO ❤😍❤

[@vitareid]

Stephen Kotkin is one of the most interesting persons I've heard. I'm transfixed.

[@skwest]

Refreshing to hear _enormity_ used correctly (notwithstanding its awful significance) and within the proper context.

[@fatlardshowernow234]

That was great. Peter is an excellent interviewer

[@jancoil4886]

Well done. The professor makes the key point that ideas matter. If you take Marxism or Adam Smith seriously and put their principles into action you can get very different outcomes.

[@aTruster]

"No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven". The Almighty uses the wicked to destroy the wicked.

[@lukecage9836]

BEST INTERVIEWER IN THE BUSINESS!!!

[@ithiellyisrael]

What camera do you shoot this show with?

[@sandorfintor]

Thank You.

[@laserprawn]

When Kotkin refers to the murder of 300 Red Army officers, he is not speaking about the Purge - these deaths occurred in the first month after the German invasion, and these officers were scapegoated and executed during the Battle of Moscow in 1941. While may officers were indeed arrested and executed during the previous years, the idea that a depleted officer corps contributed to the poor performance of the Red Army in the early days of Operation Barbarossa is mostly a story spread by Red Army apologists, to present a clean story. In fact, many commanders understood what was happening along the new German border, and before and during the start of the invasion they had warned Stalin - who told them that they were lying. The reality is that Stalin's own incompetence and paranoia had a greater effect at sabotaging the Red Army in the first month of fighting; along with, of course, the devastating operational surprise and tactical superiority achieved by the Germans (the Nazi blunder, of course, being to have underestimated Red Army strength to be 50 full divisions smaller than it was, thanks to poor intelligence).

[@BuceGar]

Thank you for this great content. Highly intellectual and stimulating.

[@soapbxprod]

I recommend watching some of Yuri Maltsev's lectures here on KZbin. Viva Mises.

[@terenceboris851]

Incredible talk. Is anybody else getting a little Joe Pesci vibe from Kotkin?

[@welderella]

“Even though it was working””.......reminds me of people who would rather a recession than see Trump succeed......

[@Allzumenschliches44]

I am a millennial who used to be a marxist and crypto-stalinist some years ago. Thanks to Hoover Institution for constantly putting out this kind of quality content, it really helps! There is so much neo-marxist propaganda out there that voices of reason are desperately needed.

[@jimv7653]

Allzumenschliches44 this makes me so happy to hear

[@madamegouze]

I'm curious: What do you - did you - consider a crypto-stalinist to be? I've heard several left-wingers call themselves crypto-cum-something but I don't know what that's supposed to mean.

[@Allzumenschliches44]

@madamegouze Oh, a "crypto-x" is just a way of saying that someone is secretly and maliciously something that he isn't admitting to in public. For example I used to be active within a leftist party in my country which officially considers itself to be "democratic socialist" but in reality many of us were hardcore communists, admirers of Stalin and Mao. That is the way leftists operate. They try to persuade the mainstream society with moderate, nice sounding rhetoric but secretly they are far more radical and their goal is to radically transform society towards their ideals by the means of silent subversion. Conservatives in the US and in all of the west need to be way more alert about this and fight back!

[@swordsheldhigh7934]

Just because I agree with Kotkin doesnt mean I agree with Shaprio, or watch breitbart news.

[@comradesoros2681]

Then were a revisionist. I find most people who claim to have been Marxists and converted to Liberalism do not actually understand Marxist theory. If you did understand the complex history of the USSR, and you did understand the theory, you'd know that this video is nothing but slander.

[@StopFear]

You guys at Stanford, give your guests better chairs. It’s unacceptable that you give grown men those uncomfortable chairs without arm rests. Steven Kotkin also clearly has back problems. I can tell because of my own and I can immediately notice others with it.

[@francescop1]

Millennial crew REPRESENTIN🤘

[@shadforthw3535]

Can you imagine American teachers teaching this? No way

[@dr1742]

It is sad that I am rewatching this and realizing that the same collectivism he said Stalin did with the term "kulak" is the same thing we have been doing recently here in the US with terms like "racist" and "transphobic". Turning the people against each other while drawing everyone to the obedience of the government, who pushed the agenda for that very reason. It truly is a fact that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[@McIntyreBible]

26:54, Kotkin explains The Great Terror.

[@guitarsword1]

Remember the words of Israel’s first prime minister David Ben Gurion, “ I am a Bolshevik . “

[@franz_stigler]

ive been looking forward to this

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/stephen-kotkin-waiting-for-hitler-audio

[@callmedeno]

best interviewer in the fuuuckin game

[@rohitrai6187]

how much humans have been through, by hands of fellow humans

[@alanaadams7440]

Very informative I learned a lot, Thank you