Stalinism

is concerned with objectivity and necessity in contrast to leninism which is always subjective and performative.

If Leninism is always in a sense 'subjective', 'performative', Stalinism believes it can become 'objective', necessary: 'the Kautskyist-Stalinist Party addresses the proletariat from a position of 'objective' knowledge intended to supplement the proletarian subjective (self-)experience of suffering and exploitation , i.e., the split here is the split between proletarian 'spontaneous' subjective self-experience and objective knowledge about one's social situation, while, in an authentic Leninist Party, the split is thoroughly subjective, i.e., the Party addresses the proletariat from a radically subjective, engaged position of the lack that prevents the proletarians from achieving their 'proper place' in the social edifice' (111). That is, although Stalinism should occupy the position of the Analyst vis-a-vis Leninism, it in fact seeks to occupy that of the University: 'Stalinist discourse presents a neutralobjective knowledge as its agent, while the repressed truth of this knowledge remains S^ the performative of the master' (76).

is the 'infinite judgement' of leninism, the application of its own logic to itself through the necessity of organization.

If we can say this, Stalinism represents the 'infinite judgement' of Leninism, the application of its own logic to itself through the necessity of organization. Stalinism thus embodies the inherent risk of Leninism in having to turn its original revolutionary enthusiasm into an ongoing political organization. It is in this sense that Zizek can approve of the violence of Stalinism: it proves that it was serious about the desire to achieve revolution. This is even why he can note with approval that the regime changed its mind three times over its alliances during World War II: it again demonstrated that something 'authentic' was going on. Along the lines of Zizek's remarks on revolution, we might say that Stalinism was precisely the necessary 'second stage' of Leninism: the 'imposition of a New Order' (130). But, if there is a 'mistake in Stalinism', it is that it sees this second stage as separate from the first. (76).

stalinism, n.All

stalinism