Which totalitarian leader was the most effective?

Answer 1

Assessing the effectiveness of totalitarian leaders can be subjective and context-dependent. However, many historians argue that Joseph Stalin was one of the most effective in terms of consolidating power and transforming the Soviet Union into a major global superpower through rapid industrialization and collectivization. His regime, while marked by extreme repression and widespread purges, significantly altered the social and economic landscape of the nation. Nonetheless, the costs to human life and freedom were immense, raising ethical questions about the notion of "effectiveness."