Joseph Stalin

====Cultural and foreign policy====
In 1928, Stalin declared that class war between the proletariat and their enemies would intensify as socialism developed.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=152–153|2a1=Sandle|2y=1999|2p=214|3a1=Khlevniuk|3y=2015|3pp=107–108}} He warned of a "danger from the right", including in the Communist Party itself.{{sfn|Khlevniuk|2015|p=108}} The first major [[show trial]] in the USSR was the [[Shakhty Trial]] of 1928, in which several middle-class "industrial specialists" were convicted of sabotage.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=152–155|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=259|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=687, 702–704, 709|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=107}} From 1929 to 1930, further show trials were held to intimidate opposition:{{sfn|Service|2004|p=268}} these included the [[Industrial Party Trial]], [[Menshevik Trial]], and [[Metro-Vickers Trial]].{{sfn|Conquest|1991|p=155}} Aware that the ethnic Russian majority may have concerns about being ruled by a Georgian,{{sfn|Service|2004|p=324}} he promoted ethnic Russians throughout the state hierarchy and made the Russian language compulsory throughout schools and offices, albeit to be used in tandem with local languages in areas with non-Russian majorities.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=326}} Nationalist sentiment among ethnic minorities was suppressed.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=301}} [[Social conservatism|Conservative social policies]] were promoted to enhance social discipline and boost population growth; this included a focus on strong family units and motherhood, [[LGBT rights in the Soviet Union|re-criminalisation of homosexuality]], restrictions placed on abortion and divorce, and abolition of the ''[[Zhenotdel]]'' women's department.{{sfn|Sandle|1999|pp=244, 246}}

[[File:Christ saviour explosion.jpg|thumb|left|Photograph taken of the 1931 demolition of the [[Cathedral of Christ the Saviour]] in Moscow in order to make way for the planned [[Palace of the Soviets]]]]

Stalin desired a "[[Cultural Revolution in the Soviet Union|cultural revolution]]",{{sfn|Service|2004|p=299}} entailing both creation of [[Culture of the Soviet Union|a culture]] for the "masses" and wider dissemination of previously elite culture.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=304}} He oversaw proliferation of schools, newspapers, and libraries, as well as advancement of literacy and [[numeracy]].{{sfnm|1a1=Volkogonov|1y=1991|1pp=111, 127|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=308}} [[Socialist realism]] was promoted throughout arts,{{sfnm|1a1=Sandle|1y=1999|1p=246|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2003|2p=85}} while Stalin personally wooed prominent writers, namely [[Maxim Gorky]], [[Mikhail Sholokhov]], and [[Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy]].{{sfn|Service|2004|pp=302–303}} He also expressed patronage for scientists whose research fitted within his preconceived interpretation of Marxism; for instance, he endorsed research of an agrobiologist [[Trofim Lysenko]] despite the fact that it was rejected by the majority of Lysenko's scientific peers as [[pseudo-scientific]].{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=211, 276–277|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=307}} The government's anti-religious campaign was re-intensified,{{sfn|Conquest|1991|p=157}} with increased funding given to the [[League of Militant Atheists]].{{sfn|Service|2004|p=301}} [[Persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union|Priests]], [[Islam in the Soviet Union|imams]], and [[Buddhism in Russia|Buddhist]] monks faced persecution.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=268}} Many religious buildings were demolished, most notably Moscow's [[Cathedral of Christ the Saviour]], destroyed in 1931 to make way for the (never completed) [[Palace of the Soviets]].{{sfn|Conquest|1991|p=191}} Religion retained an influence over much of the population; in the [[Soviet Census (1937)|1937 census]], 57% of respondents were willing to admit to being religious.{{sfn|Khlevniuk|2015|p=325}}

Throughout the 1920s and beyond, Stalin placed a high priority on foreign policy.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=379}} He personally met with a range of Western visitors, including [[George Bernard Shaw]] and [[H. G. Wells]], both of whom were impressed with him.{{sfn|Conquest|1991|pp=183–184}} Through the Communist International, Stalin's government exerted a strong influence over Marxist parties elsewhere in the world;{{sfn|Service|2004|p=282}} initially, Stalin left the running of the organisation largely to Bukharin.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=261}} At its 6th Congress in July 1928, Stalin informed delegates that the main threat to socialism came not from the right but from non-Marxist socialists and [[social democrats]], whom he called "[[social fascists]]";{{sfnm|1a1=McDermott|1y=1995|1pp=410–411|2a1=Conquest|2y=1991|2p=176|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=261, 383|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=720}} Stalin recognised that in many countries, the social democrats were the Marxist-Leninists' main rivals for working-class support.{{sfn|Conquest|1991|p=173}} This preoccupation with opposing rival leftists concerned Bukharin, who regarded the growth of [[fascism]] and the far right across Europe as a far greater threat.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=261}} After Bukharin's departure, Stalin placed the Communist International under the administration of [[Dmitry Manuilsky]] and [[Osip Piatnitsky]].{{sfn|Service|2004|p=282}}

Stalin faced problems in his family life. In 1929, his son Yakov unsuccessfully attempted suicide; his failure earned Stalin's contempt.{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=289|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=595}} His relationship with Nadezhda was also strained amid their arguments and her mental health problems.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=289}} In November 1932, after a group dinner in the Kremlin in which Stalin flirted with other women, Nadezhda shot herself.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=169|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2003|2p=90|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=291–292}}
Publicly, the cause of death was given as [[appendicitis]]; Stalin also concealed the real cause of death from his children.{{sfnm|1a1=Montefiore|1y=2003|1pp=94, 95|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2pp=292, 294}} Stalin's friends noted that he underwent a significant change following her suicide, becoming emotionally harder.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=297}}
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