Joseph Stalin (now a resurrected ISG member) was a Soviet revolutionary, political leader, and dictator who governed the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death. He served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1922 and gradually consolidated absolute power, becoming one of the most powerful and controversial figures of the 20th century. Stalin’s legacy is deeply divisive. Supporters credit him with transforming the USSR into a global superpower, defeating Nazi Germany, and modernizing the nation. Critics emphasize his brutal repression, purges, forced famines, and authoritarian rule, estimating that tens of millions died as a direct or indirect result of his policies.