Myths about Stalin in Modern Georgian Politics
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Date
2021-06
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Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state university, Faculty of social and political sciences
Abstract
There are no political forces in Georgian politics today that would use the word “Stalin” in their name, but this does not mean that the topic of Stalin has lost its political actuality. This is evidenced by the frequency of publications about Stalin in the Georgian press and heated debates, which periodically explode (for example, either in connection with the erection of a statue of Stalin in Gori, or vice versa, due to the intensification of the demand for the liquidation of communist symbols).
In order to reveal the myths about Stalin, the report examines the publications about Stalin in the Georgian print press of 2020-2021. Articles about Stalin were regularly published in some newspapers (“Georgia and the World”, “Asaval- Dasavali”), and the monthly newspaper “Stalin” was published. The Georgian press is one of the most important sources for spreading myths about Stalin. Publications about Stalin are published in other newspapers on the occasion of the next anniversary of the victory in World War II and Stalin‟s birthday.
The analysis of the Georgian press shows that there are spread mainly two types of myths about Stalin: in the first type of myths, Stalin is presented as a great politician who worked for the good of the Soviet Union; the second type of myth features Stalin, who took care of Georgia and did many things for its benefit.
The first types of myths (“Stalin - the great politician”) were created in Russia and are based on memoirs of Stalin and works of modern Russian authors having publicist-historical nature. Myths about Stalin have been one of the mainstays of modern Russian state ideology since the 2000s. The basis of their transfer to Georgia is Stalin‟s Georgian origin - the idea is held that Georgians should be proud of Stalin, who headed the world‟s most powerful state and determined the fate of the world.
The second types of myths, which talk about the steps taken by Stalin for the
benefit of Georgia, are mainly based on the memories of Stalin‟s modern Georgian
figures. These myths should show how well Georgia was as a part of a “great state” - Soviet Union. The weakest place to establish the image of “Stalin - the benefactor of Georgia” is the transfer of Georgian territories to neighboring countries after the Sovietization of Georgia in 1921. In this regard, it is noted that it is the fault of Lenin, to whom at that time Stalin could not resist.
The active spread of myths about Stalin, the introduction of a positive image of Stalin in Georgia, the glorification of his deeds strengthen the anti-democratic movements, which occupy not so strong, but still important place in the political life of modern Georgia.
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Keywords
Political Myth, Georgia, Stalin, Myths about Stalin