As we have frequently encountered throughout the semester, the Soviet government under Stalin was really only concerned with achieving its own internal goals, no matter the cost. The best way Stalin and his government saw to do this is embodied in a quote from today’s reading: “Only the state could imbue him with the notion of being a free agent. It was through the Soviet state that Podlubnyi acquired a sense of purpose, indeed the norms to define and guide his personal life.s his case makes clear, Soviet man could realize himself only by working for the state” (89-90). This is not new and there are similar references throughout the reading. Think about how it would feel in the moment if you were there. What are the negatives associated with policies like this? Is damage done to the culture of the nation as a whole? If the nation becomes successful and powerful, does that justify the actions of the government?
