On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti What can Americans learn from Stalinism?
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Oct 15, 2025 Wendy Goldman, a Paul Mellon Distinguished Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon, delves into the stark parallels between Stalinism and modern American politics. She discusses how Stalin's rule shaped public life and education while highlighting warning signs like the reclassification of dissent as terrorism. Their conversation explores the dangers of rhetoric used by current leaders reminiscent of Stalin's era. Goldman also emphasizes the importance of safeguarding U.S. institutions against authoritarian tactics, urging vigilance to protect democracy.
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Khrushchev's Reveal Shook The Party
- Nikita Khrushchev's 1956 'secret speech' publicly denounced Stalin's crimes.
- Khrushchev's talk shocked delegates who had once revered Stalin and began de-Stalinization.
Terror Escalates Gradually, Not Suddenly
- The terror in Stalin's USSR escalated slowly from a trigger event into mass repression over years.
- Wendy Goldman warns that recognizing early signposts matters to prevent similar escalation.
Dissent Recast As Domestic Terror
- Dissent was recast as 'domestic terrorism' to justify wide arrests and purges.
- Goldman flags that reclassifying opponents this way enabled the widening of state repression.
