Causes Of Stalin's Insanity

“Definitions of insanity are controversial, but undeniably Stalin’s personality was a dangerously damaged one and this personality supplied the high-octane fuel for the journey to the Great Terror.” (p5). This quote is perfect for describing Stalin and his childhood in a nutshell. Stalin did not have an easy childhood. Between being gangly and insecure, growing up in a household where love and kindness was absent, and a culture that fed on hostility, Stalin was groomed to become the homicidal beast that ruled Russia.
Health issues plagued Stalin during his youth, one factor that could have caused Stalin to become a cold-hearted ruler. In order to make up for his sized and stature, he felt that his personality needed to become larger than life

His father was an alcoholic who often took out his frustrations on his family with the use of violence. Rumors have always been the source of contention in relationships all throughout history. There was a lot of conversation about Stalin’s mother and her loyalty to his father. This kind of gossip was said to be the cause of Stalin’s father, Beso’s drinking problem. It could not have been easy to listen to the town gossip about your wife sleeping around. This may not have been true, as Service mentions there were several different theories about Stalin’s paternity. Pair those rumors with a failing business and Beso was a very unhappy man. Beating his wife and child regularly was how Beso dealt with the circumstances life had dealt him. In his book Service states that, “The memoirs of his friends without exception affirm that Beso was a brute to his son. Keke too was reportedly not averse to giving him a thrashing” (p19). The environment that should have been loving and nurturing was full of abuse and violence, even from the person who loved him most. Service also points out that, “what made things worse for Joseph’s subsequent development was that his father’s violence was neither merited nor predictable,” (p19) thus Stalin could never avoid his father’s wrath. Growing up with violence all around him played a large part in Stalin becoming the monster he

This was no different in the case of Stalin. The streets of Stalin’s Georgian neighborhood were tough. These streets and the desire to be the absolute best no matter the cost, molded the future dictator. Stalin fought with the other boys to prove his worth. He always wanted to be the best and even at a young age would fight dirty in order to win. Not only did the gang of boys that he would run around with fight but they stole as well. He would steal from women and whomever else he pleased. The culture of this area was very volatile and violence was a part of the everyday. When one was wronged or harmed it was customary to take the “eye for an eye” approach and get revenge. Stalin had the drive and determination to be the best but he did not have the grace to accept defeat or learn from his mistakes the way most of us do. He would fight dirty and make sure that his opponent was defeated no matter the cost. Service gives us a little more insight on page 27, “There was something quite extraordinary about Joseph’s vindictiveness. As he grew up, he was notorious for this characteristic: he enjoyed crushing his rivals – it was never enough to simply defeat them.” This vindictive and evil part of his personality never got better as he grew up but worse. He is said to have executed his former neighbors and friends, even family members. This volatile culture fed the monster inside, the one that