#9 Stalin

Overall, Stalin was a bad leader for the Soviet Union. However, he did do some things that improved people's lives. Some things that he did were creating the Five-Year Plans. These methods produced impressive economic results. Also, the Soviets made substansial gains. From 1928 to 1937, industrial production of steel increased more than 25 percent. During his rule, women's roles greatly expanded. The people were better educated and mastered new technical skills. In 1917 the Bolshevick Revolution declared men and women equal.

Although good things came out of Stalin's rule, there were more disadvantages of him as a dictator. One negative thing about him was religious persecution. He aimed to replace religious teachings with the ideas of communism. The Russian Orthodox Church was the main target of persecution. Many religious leaders were killed or sent to labor camps. Stalin's rule eliminated personal rights and freedoms. Another disadvantage of Stalin's rule was also the Five-Year Plans. Although there were positive effects out of it, there were more negative. People faced severe shortages of housing, food, clothing, and other necessary goods. Also, many of the targets of the Plan fell short.

In conclusion, there were more disadvantages of Stalin's rule. He created several shortages and many people were persecuted for their beliefs. Religion was taken over by communism. People's personal rights were limited and freedoms were also limited in favor of the power of the state. By achieving this Communist society, it came at a tremendous cost to the Soviet citizens. In result, this shows that Stalin was a bad leader for the Soviet Union.