In 1907, Joseph Stalin stood at his wife’s funeral and said, “This creature softened my heart of stone. She died and with her, died my last warm feelings for humanity.” He meant it. He proved it. His legacy was written in blood. 46 years later, after killing 6 million people, Stalin laid in his bed dying. Stalin’s personal physician was unavailable. Why? Because he was in a dungeon being tortured — for having suggested Stalin didn’t look well and needed rest. This is the legacy of Russia’s leadership: savage paranoia and power consolidation. Imprisonment for doing your job. When Stalin’s security guards found him unconscious, they were too afraid to call for help. Decision-making was too centralized. They feared Stalin would wake up and realize they’d called for help without his permission.
