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The Spike or Victoria College Review 1941

[introduction]

Thunderous ovation. All rise. Shouts from all parts of the hall: "Long live Comrade Stalin!" All stand and sing the "Internationale," after which the ovation is resumed. Shouts of "Long live our leader, Comrade Stalin, hurrah!"'

It must be admitted that passages like this, occurring in reports of meetings of high Soviet Governmental bodies, are a little dampening to the enthusiasm of would-be supporters of Soviet Russia. And when we see the photographs of demonstrations in Russia, with their numerous enormous banners depicting the singularly unattractive Bust of Lenin and Stalin; when we read even scientific reports studded with somewhat Fulsome praises of Stalin; when we study some of the remarkable speeches in favour of The Soviet leaders at public functions—every person with any taste at all must be a Little discomfited.

This question of Stalin-worship isn't funny, as it might seem at first sight. If it is really the result of 'the deliberate exploitation by the governing junta of the emotion of hero-worship' (S. & B. Webb), if it is an expression of cringing servility such as characterised the worship of the 'Little Father,' if Stalin and Lenin have in fact been deified to take the place of God which Marxist theory is busy demolishing— then we are justified in doubting whether the Soviet system is really such a fine thing as the daily papers, with suspicious suddenness, are making out. For servility implies a hierarchy and exploitation, and an inculcated hero-worship implies a lack of other emotional outlets.