Stalin did not demonstrate truly wise and honourable leadership of his country, and it was only because of the unstable nature of Europe at this time that the people of Russia trusted and put their faith in him. Stalin was the son of an alcoholic cobbler and a washerwoman, and was all too aware of t...

Exogenous factor shaping economic growth continent wide was the great power conflict. Countries falling for geographical and other reasons within the U.S. and Soviet spheres of influence felt strong pressure to adopt the same form of economic organization as their dominant partner. And how they orga...