Introduction
Powers refers to the ability of an individual or an organization to enforce their will over others. One leader known to have abused power at the governmental level was Joseph Stalin of The Soviet Union. He was known to be a terrible leader in Russia, and during his reign, many people died (Matsolo, 2019). However, he transformed the country’s military and turned Russia into a superpower.
Robbins and Judge (2018) have shown that when people rely on and depend on one person, their power grows, and they are more likely to abuse that power. This leader caused the deaths of millions of peasants after seizing their grain and livestock, revealing an abuse of power. The paper will examine the bases, types, causes, consequences, and ethical implications of Joseph Stalin’s abuse of power.
Bases of Power Used
Bases of power refers to where power in an individual or an organization comes from and can either be formal or personal. Based on the chapter 13, formal power comes from the capacity to coerce, reward, or legitimate authority (Robbins and Judge, 2018). For instance, Stalin used cohesive power, which relied on fear and punishment, to make people obey him and respect his authority. He also had legitimate power since he was the general secretary of the communist party.
The power could also be personal, whether expert or referent (Robbins & Judge, 2018). Stalin had expert power as he was a well-capable politician who demonstrated savvy knowledge of human behavior (Kuromiya, 2021). Therefore, the source of Stalin’s power was his ability to compel and his expertise in the military.
Power Tactics Used
Stalin relied on several combinations of power tactics to keep his followers in check and control the country. Coalitions refer to enlisting aid or support from other organizations to persuade your target audience (Robbins & Judge, 2018). Stalin relied on the secret police and the NKVD to eliminate his opponents and keep people in terror. He also relied on the power tactics of mass representation to establish a cult-like following and crowd mobilization campaigns to gain control (Matsolo, 2019). These strategies abused power but enabled him to remain in control for decades.
Causes and Consequences of the Behavior
A complex set of personality traits caused Stalin’s behavior and hugely impacted Russia. He had a paranoid personality and was a man with no close friends or confidants (Kuromiya, 2021). The Second World War consolidated Stalin’s authority, creating a cult of personality. The abuse of power made Russia a totalitarian state, with media, education, and culture being closely monitored. Additionally, his centralization of power set a precedent for future Russian leaders.
Ethical Implications
The leadership resulted in several ethical concerns, many of which have been criticized by scholars for their negative impacts. His rule is said to have been characterized by several human rights abuses, such as executions, egregious human privileges mistreatments, and mass arrests (Nelson, 2019). During his time, the media experienced significant censorship, and propaganda was used to deceive the people. His rule also brought into light the issue of abuse of power, as his autocracy violated fundamental human rights principles.
Conclusion
Joseph Stalin misused authority by coercing, using coalitions to eliminate opponents, and relying on a paranoid personality trait to scare people, thus making Russia a totalitarian state with several unethical behaviors. Although he was a legitimate chief as the general secretary of the communist group, he relied on making others afraid, which is an unethical base of power. His tactics were also unethical, based on coalitions with police to intimidate opponents and crowd representations to make a cult personality. This abuse was caused by his paranoid personality and the Second World War terrors, resulting in Russia turning into an authoritarian state with centralized power.
References
Kuromiya, H. (2021). Joseph Stalin: Autocrat par excellence (1878–1953). In K. Larres (Ed.), Dictators and autocrats(pp. 3–18). Routledge.
Matsolo, V. (2019).A psychobiographical study of Joseph Stalin [Doctoral dissertation, Nelson Mandela University]. Seals. Web.
Nelson, T. H. (2019). Bringing Stalin back into memory politics and creation a useable past in Putin’s Russia. Lexington Books.
Robbins, S., & Judge, T. (2018). Essentials of organizational behavior: Global Edition (14th ed.). Pearson.