Stalin and the Cult of Personality

The real, full-blown cult really got going around 1933-1934. Before that, in around 1929, Stalin was actually seen as rather cold and distant. He tried to assume a modest image, and wanted to be seen by the people as a hard-working man of moderation. After Lenin died, the party members knew it was essential that the party stick together if it were to accomplish the huge task of transforming an unwilling population into good socialists. They therefore did not want a leader who might cause divisions among the different wings of the party and split it into warring factions. That's why they feared Trotsky and believed that Stalin would play a good role, as he was always silent, never argued and always did his job as it should have been done. The people actually started saying that "Stalin is the Lenin of today". However it wasn't enough for Stalin to just get the likings of the people, he wanted more. …