[PEN-L:29380] Re: Re: Re: Stalinophobia

[Carrol Cox <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think one can offer a definition of stalinophobia (and though I've
never heard the term used, of stalinophilia also). Both consist of the
assumption that labelling a political position "Stalinist" eliminates
the need for further thought. To avoid both it is also important not
even to accept someone's self-designation as "stalinist" (or
"anti-stalinist") as very relevant to the understanding of that person's
politics.

I'm not sure whether having an opinion on Stalin's USSR _necessarily_
effects one's politics in 2002.

Carrol