71,726 views
The rule of Joseph Stalin, which lasted from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, was marked by profound changes in the Soviet Union, but also by repressive methods. Stalin implemented rapid industrialization and collectivization of agriculture, which modernized the country but led to widespread famine and poverty among the peasantry. His regime was known for mass purges, political persecution, and strict control over society, including secret police and labor camps (gulags). Although the Soviet Union became a world power under his leadership, it came at a cost of great human suffering.