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Catherine II And Stalin Essay Research Paper

Catherine II And Stalin Essay, Research Paper


Catherine II (the Great) and Joseph Stalin were both leaders of Russia


that demonstrated an awareness of the West. They tried to emulate some


of the elements of the West while purposely neglecting others. For


this reason they were partial westernizers. Catherine the Great was


very in tune with the Enlightenment and she had vast knowledge over the


culture of Western Europe. Due to this she decided that her country


was backward and would need to change in order for it to remain being a


world power. In 1767 she assembled a Legislative Commission to help


her amend the laws and government of Russia. Before this body


convened, Catherine published a set of Instructions based on many of


the political works of the philosophes. Other examples of her


westernization exist in her plans for economic growth. She tried to


halt interior barriers in trade. Also, under her reign, the exports of


grain, flax, fur, and naval stores increased and she encouraged the


growth of the urban middle class, which is so essential for trade. On


the other hand, although it seemed as if Catherine was taking steps


toward a more western future, her proposition to reform law did not


occur until fifty years later. Also, she strongly supported to rights


of the nobility and granted them local power over the medieval custom


of serfs. Catherine never had any intention from departing from


absolutism and her close rapport with the philosophes was a strategic


move. She wanted them to spread th

e word of a progressive and modern


Russia. She wanted to resemble the West but she did not want to


actually be like it. Joseph Stalin was much less modern in his thought


than Catherine the Great. One of the few examples of westernization


under his regime was the remarkably successful Five-Year Plans. This


was his vehicle for industrialization by setting goals for economic


production and meeting them. Also, Stalin made peace with the Russian


Orthodox Church. Although, this was more likely an attempt to gain


more support during World War II than because of the kindness of his


heart. However, most of Stalin’s actions reflected a cruel backward


mentality. Stalin’s collectivization proposal made the kulaks very


wealthy and also was opposed by many farmers and peasants from all


social classes. First, Stalin eliminated the kulaks as a class. Then


he proceeded to assassinate al dissidents and this ended up in


warfare. This was by no means a modern approach to dealing with the


country’s problems. Then instead of admitting the failure of this


program, Stalin proclaimed it was delayed because of “dizziness from


success.” In the last years of his reign, he had begun a second purge


that was targeted toward the Jews. Stalin and Catherine are mixtures


of the antique Russia and the expanding modern western society.


Catherine did demonstrate a more prevalent attitude than Stalin, who


proceeded to be blinded by a history behind in its time. However, both


did not achieve many of the goals that they proclaimed.

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