Did Joseph Stalin have paranoia

Answer 1

No he did not. It was more of an increasing fear that he had inside him, which became more evident in his actions against his political enemies, those within his party & common civilians which made it increasingly difficult for those around him and therefore labeled paranoid. His paranoia was therefor a result of his increasing fear of usurpation.

Contrary view:

Yes, he definitely was paranoid. He eliminated ally after ally fearing they were disloyal to him. He got rid of several leaders of the secret police, several prestigious generals and many high ranking Politburo members. The number two man in Russia before, during and for a time, after World War 2 was Lavar Kaganov. He was known as the Wolf of the Kremlin. In a biography about Kaganov, titled "The Wolf of the Kremlin," by Stuart Kahan, 1987, the following mentions of Stalin's paranoia were made:

"Paranoia ha already become a part of his daily routine, as integrala part of him as breathing." p. 25.

"It seemed to Lazar that whatever paranoia Stalin had before the war was gone." p.208.

"Lazar loved to play with the paranoia switches in Stalin. . . " p. 244.

"Besides which, Stalin's paranoia was deepening." p. 253.

"Stalin's condition continually worsened. Paranoia had reached its apex." p.263

"...Stalin, suffering from a full blown persecution complex..." p. 269

Granted, Stalin never laid on a psychiatrist's couch and was formally diagnosed with paranoia as a mental condition, but his fear of close associates turning on him was more than just fear. It was outright paranoia, because his fears were baseless.