Socialism in one country

Socialism in one country[a] was a Soviet state policy to strengthen socialism within the country rather than socialism globally. Given the defeats of the 1917–1923 European communist revolutions,[b] Joseph Stalin encouraged the theory of the possibility of constructing socialism in the Soviet Union.[1] The theory was eventually adopted as Soviet state policy.

As a political theory, its exponents argue that it contradicts neither world revolution nor world communism. The theory opposes Leon Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution and the communist left's theory of world revolution.

Initially, all leading Soviet figures including Stalin agreed that the success of world socialism was a precondition for the survival of the Soviet Union. Stalin expressed this view in his pamphlet, "Foundations of Leninism."[2][3] However, he would later change this position in December 1924 during the succession struggle against Trotsky and the Left Opposition.[4]

The theory was harshly criticized by Trotsky and Grigory Zinoviev as antithetical to Marxist principles whilst the theoretical framework was supported by Nikolai Bukharin.[5]


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  1. ^ "socialism in one country | Stalinist doctrine". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  2. ^ "For the final victory of socialism, for the organization of socialist construction, the efforts of one country, particularly of a peasant country like Russia, are insufficient; for that, the efforts of the proletarians of several advanced countries are necessary".Rogovin, Vadim Zakharovich (2021). Was There an Alternative? Trotskyism: a Look Back Through the Years. Mehring Books. pp. 369–370. ISBN 978-1-893638-97-6.
  3. ^ Evans, Alfred B. (30 October 1993). Soviet Marxism-Leninism: The Decline of an Ideology. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-313-39090-6.
  4. ^ Rogovin, Vadim Zakharovich (2021). Was There an Alternative? Trotskyism: a Look Back Through the Years. Mehring Books. pp. 369–370. ISBN 978-1-893638-97-6.
  5. ^ Elwell, Frank W.; Andrews, Brian; Hicks, Kenneth S. (15 December 2020). Karl Marx: A Reference Guide to His Life and Works. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 209. ISBN 978-1-5381-2290-7.