Stalin: Passage to Revolution

Stalin: Passage to Revolution is a 2020 biography of Joseph Stalin by American historian, political scientist and academic Ronald Grigor Suny. The book won the 2021 Deutscher Memorial Prize.

Summary
The biography delves into Joseph Stalin's formative years, exploring his transformation from a poverty-stricken, idealistic youth to a cunning and formidable figure in Russian history. Suny examines Stalin's early life in the Caucasus, tracing his evolution from a Georgian nationalist to a ruthless political operative within the Bolshevik movement. Drawing on new archival evidence, Suny portrays Stalin's journey through turbulent times, from his involvement in underground activism to his ascent within Bolshevik ranks. The book highlights Stalin's ideological shifts, his engagement in debates of his era, and his abandonment of religious faith in pursuit of power.

Reviews
Barbara C. Allen praised the book for its meticulous exploration of Stalin's ideological formation. She commended Suny for his in-depth analysis of Stalin's strengths and weaknesses as a Marxist organizer, agitator, and politician, particularly emphasizing his insightful coverage of Stalin's relationships and his adept weaving of personal and political dynamics. Allen appreciated Suny's attention to detail in recreating historical contexts, such as Stalin's time in Baku and Saint Petersburg, highlighting the book's thoroughness in portraying the shaping influences on Stalin's political persona.

Kees Boterbloem's review acknowledged Suny's extensive knowledge but criticized what the reviewer saw as the book's excessive length, occasional tangents, unclear editing, and lack of a separate bibliography. Boterbloem appreciated Suny's insights into Stalin's early life and rise to power but felts that the book could have been more tightly edited for clarity and focus.

Chris Beausang's review praised Suny's meticulous examination of Stalin's formative years, particularly his involvement in the regional sections of the Russian Social Democratic and Labour Party and his intellectual development. Beausang appreciated Suny's avoidance of simplistic explanations, such as psychologistic approaches, and his thorough analysis of Marxist ideology and its influence on Stalin's early activism. Beausang went on to highlight Suny's clear depiction of the distinct characteristics of industrial centers like Tiflis, Baku, and Batumi, as well as his elucidation of the Bolshevik position on the national question and Stalin's role in shaping it. Beausang expressed confidence in Suny's ability to delve into other aspects of Stalin's life and hopes for future projects despite potential challenges in accessing primary documents.

In his review of the book for the Washington Post, Robert Service lauded Suny's detailed research and deep understanding of Georgian history and the early years of Stalin's life. Service praised Suny for challenging conventional narratives about Stalin's intelligence and political acumen, presenting him as a dedicated Marxist intellectual and leader. However, Service critiqued the book's conclusion for offering a somewhat tired analysis of Stalin in 1917 and for failing to fully explore the political partnership between Lenin and Stalin. Service also expressed disappointment in the book's inability to fully explain why Stalin, after his rise to power, unleashed the Great Terror.

Suny and Bergman's debate
In 2022, Suny wrote a review of James Ryan and Susan Grant's edited volume Revisioning Stalin and Stalinism: Complexities, Contradictions, and Controversies for the Russian Review. Jay Bergman wrote a letter to the editor in which he responded to and criticized Suny's review. In May 2022, Suny wrote back a response to the response (or in his own words "a review of the review of the review'), also published in the Russian Review, in which he expressed surprise at having to respond to a review of a review. He defended his use of contemporary American examples in historical analysis, refuting accusations of political bias, and emphasized the importance of debate and discussion in historical scholarship. Suny underscored the impossibility of divorcing politics from historical writing and commentary, advocating for a nuanced understanding of the complexities inherent in both.

Awards
The book won the 2021 Deutscher Memorial Prize for his "research, writing, and scholarship, which is characterized by a serious and critical approach to Marxism and the Soviet experience." It also received an Honorable Mention from the Wayne S. Vucinich Book Prize.