Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet politician who led the Soviet Union from the mid–1920s until 1953 as the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and premier of the Soviet Union. Profoundly inspirational Joseph Stalin quotes will challenge the way you think, change the way you live and transform your whole life.
Famous Joseph Stalin Quotes
It’s not the people who vote that count. It’s the people who count the votes. Joseph Stalin
I know that the gentlemen in the enemy camp may think of me however they like. I consider it beneath me to try to change the minds of these gentlemen. Joseph Stalin
The press must grow day in and day out it is our Party’s sharpest and most powerful weapon. Joseph Stalin
I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this who will count the votes, and how. Joseph Stalin
Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas. Joseph Stalin
History shows that there are no invincible armies and that there never have been. Joseph Stalin
Everybody has a right to be stupid, but some people abuse the privilege. Joseph Stalin
This creature softened my heart of stone. She died and with her died my last warm feelings for humanity. Joseph Stalin
Voters decide nothing. Vote counters decide everything! Joseph Stalin
True courage consists in being strong enough to master and overcome oneself and subordinate one’s will to the will of the collective, the will of the higher party body. Joseph Stalin
The death of one man is tragic, but the death of thousands is statistic. Joseph Stalin
Is it possible, then, to doubt that we can and must gain victory over the German invaders? The enemy is not as strong as some terror stricken pseudo intellectuals picture him. The devil is not as terrible as he is painted. Joseph Stalin
Divide the world into regional groups as a transitional stage to world government. Populations will more readily abandon their national loyalty to a vague regional loyalty than they will for a world authority. Later the regions can be brought together all the way into a single world dictatorship. Joseph Stalin
The capitalist State does not deal much with economy in the strict sense of the word; the latter is not in the hands of the State. On the contrary, the State is in the hands of capitalist economy. Joseph Stalin
Political power does not rest with those who cast votes; political power rests with those who count votes. Joseph Stalin
Capitalism, in its imperialist phase, is a system which considers war to be a legitimate instrument for settling international disputes, a legal method in fact, if not in law. Joseph Stalin
It is difficult for me to imagine what personal liberty is enjoyed by an unemployed hungry person. True freedom can only be where there is no exploitation and oppression of one person by another; where there is not unemployment, and where a person is not living in fear of losing his job, his home and his bread. Only in such a society personal and any other freedom can exist for real and not on paper. Joseph Stalin
We think that a powerful and vigorous movement is impossible without differences ‘true conformity’ is possible only in the cemetery. Joseph Stalin
When there’s a person, there’s a problem. When there’s no person, there’s no problem. Josef Stalin
When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use. Joseph Stalin
We do not want a single foot of foreign territory; but of our territory we shall not surrender a single inch to anyone. Joseph Stalin
Education is a weapon the effect of which is determined by the hands which wield it, by who is to be struck down. Joseph Stalin
If any foreign minister begins to defend to the death a ‘peace conference,’ you can be sure his government has already placed its orders for new battleships and airplanes. Joseph Stalin
It doesn’t matter who they vote for, they always vote for us. Joseph Stalin
If the opposition disarms, all is well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves. Joseph Stalin
Great Britain provided time; the United States provided money and Soviet Russia provided blood. Joseph Stalin
God’s not unjust, he doesn’t actually exist. We’ve been deceived. If God existed, he’d have made the world more just I’ll lend you a book and you’ll see. Joseph Stalin
Union as a remnant of the Middle Ages, which has been used for the purpose of oppressing the working classes. Joseph Stalin
Without getting rid of the capitalists, without abolishing the principle of private property in the means of production, it is impossible to create planned economy. Joseph Stalin
It is not heroes that make history, but history that makes heroes. Joseph Stalin
Fascism is a reactionary force which is trying to preserve the old system by means of violence. What will you do with the Fascists? Argue with them? Try to convince them? Joseph Stalin
To choose one’s victims, to prepare one’s plan minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to be There is nothing sweeter in the world. Joseph Stalin
Anti Semitism, as an extreme form of racial chauvinism, is the most dangerous vestige of cannibalism. Joseph Stalin
If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves. Joseph Stalin
You, Mr. Wells, evidently start out with the assumption that all men are good. I, however, do not forget that there are many wicked men. I do not believe in the goodness of the bourgeoisie. Joseph Stalin
This creature softened my heart of stone. She died and with her died my last warm feelings for humanity. Joseph Stalin
To bring about a revolution a leading revolutionary minority is required; but the most talented, devoted and energetic minority would be helpless if it did not rely upon the at least passive support of millions. Joseph Stalin
Print is the sharpest and the strongest weapon of our party. Joseph Stalin
The writer is the engineer of the human soul. Joseph Stalin
The only real power comes out of a long rifle. Joseph Stalin
A sincere diplomat is like dry water or wooden iron. Joseph Stalin
The United States should get rid of its militias. Joseph Stalin
Wars are not declared nowadays. They simply start. Joseph Stalin
I trust no one, not even myself. Joseph Stalin
American democracy and the Soviet system may peacefully exist side by side and compete with each other. But one cannot evolve into the other. The Soviet system will not evolve into American democracy, or vice versa. We can peacefully exist side by side if we do not find fault with each other over every trifling matter. Joseph Stalin
In speaking of the capitalists who strive only for profit, only to get rich, I do not want to say that these are the most worthless people capable of doing nothing else. Many of them undoubtedly possess great organizing talent, which I would not dream of denying. We Soviet people learn a lot from the capitalists. But if you mean people who are prepared to reconstruct the world, of course you will not be able to find them in the ranks of those who faithfully serve the cause of profit The capitalist is riveted in profit and nothing can tear him away from it. Joseph Stalin
Gratitude is a sickness suffered by dogs. Joseph Stalin
I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this who will count the votes, and how. Joseph Stalin Quotes
The Jews are not a nation! Joseph Stalin
Words are one thing deeds something entirely different. Fine words are a mask to cover shady deeds. A sincere diplomat is like dry water or wooden iron. Joseph Stalin
Either place yourself at the mercy of capital, eke out a wretched existence as of old and sink lower and lower, or adopt a new weapon this is the alternative imperialism puts before the vast masses of the proletariat. Imperialism brings the working class to revolution. Joseph Stalin
He who votes does not have power. He who counts the votes has power. Joseph Stalin
The idea of a concentration camp is excellent. Joseph Stalin
Gratitude is a sickness suffered by dogs. Joseph Stalin
I’m finished. I trust no one, not even myself. Joseph Stalin
World dictatorship can be established only when the victory of socialism has been achieved in certain countries or groups of countries and when these federation of republics have finally grown into a world union of Soviet Socialist Republics uniting the whole of mankind under the hegemony of the international proletariat organized as a state. Joseph Stalin
He can’t even shoot straight. Joseph Stalin
You know, they are fooling us, there is no God. Joseph Stalin
What would happen if capital succeeded in smashing the Republic of Soviets? There would set in an era of the blackest reaction in all the capitalist and colonial countries, the working class and the oppressed peoples would be seized by the throat, the positions of international communism would be lost. Joseph Stalin
How do you expect the Germans to revolt when they don’t even dare walk on the grass? Joseph Stalin
Hitlers come and go, but Germany and the German people remain. Joseph Stalin
The Pope? How many divisions has he got? Joseph Stalin
So the bastard’s dead? Too bad we didn’t capture him alive! Joseph Stalin
I believe in one thing only, the power of human will. Joseph Stalin
No great power, even if its government strives towards it, can send out a large army to fight against another allied power, another great power, since in the present day no one can wage war without their own people, and the people don’t want to fight. The nations [of the world] are tired of war. Joseph Stalin
Ah, these diplomats! What chatterboxes! There’s only one way to shut them up cut them down with machine guns. Bulganin, go and get me one! Joseph Stalin
One of Ivan the Terrible’s mistakes was to overlook the five great feudal families. If he had annihilated those five families, there would definitely have been no Time of Troubles. But Ivan the Terrible would execute someone and then spend a long time repenting and praying. God got in his way in this matter. He ought to have been still more decisive! Joseph Stalin
Marxism is not only the theory of socialism, it is an integral world outlook, a philosophical system, from which Marx’s proletarian socialism logically follows. This philosophical system is called dialectical materialism. Joseph Stalin
Why direct? Because direct elections to all representative institutions, right up to the supreme bodies, will best of all safeguard the interests of the toilers of our boundless country. You think that there will be no election contests. Joseph Stalin
It takes a brave man to be a coward in the Red Army. Joseph Stalin
Owing to pressure from below, the pressure of the masses, the bourgeoisie may sometimes concede certain partial reforms while remaining on the basis of the existing social economic system. Acting in this way, it calculates that these concessions are necessary in order to preserve its class rule. This is the essence of reform. Revolution, however, means the transference of power from one class to another. That is why it is impossible to describe any reform as revolution. Joseph Stalin
In the future, there will be fewer but better Russians. Joseph Stalin
There is no, nor should there be, irreconcilable contrast between the individual and the collective, between the interests of the individual person and the interests of the collective. There should be no such contrast, because collectivism, Socialism, does not deny, but combines individual interests with the interests of the collective. Socialism cannot abstract itself from individual interests. Joseph Stalin
Die, but do not retreat. Joseph Stalin
We believe that the Anarchists are real enemies of Marxism. Accordingly, we also hold that a real struggle must be waged against real enemies. Joseph Stalin
A man’s eyes should be torn out if he can only see the past. Joseph Stalin
I believe in one thing only, the power of human will. Joseph Stalin
Nobody respects a country with a poor army, but everybody respects a country with a good army. I raise my toast to the Finnish army. Joseph Stalin
You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves. Joseph Stalin
Real liberty exists only there where exploitation has been annihilated, where no oppression of some peoples by others exists, where there is no unemployment and pauperism, where a person does not tremble because tomorrow he may lose his job, home and bread. Joseph Stalin
If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves. Joseph Stalin
Quantity has a quality all its own. Joseph Stalin
If any foreign minister begins to defend to the death a peace conference, you can be sure his government has already placed its orders for new battleships and airplanes. Joseph Stalin
Of all the treasures a state can possess, the human lives of its citizens are for us the most precious. Joseph Stalin
Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army can reach. Joseph Stalin
In the Soviet army it takes more courage to retreat than advance. Joseph Stalin
I trust no one, not even myself. Joseph Stalin
Anti Semitism is dangerous for the toilers, for it is a false track which diverts them from the proper road and leads them into the jungle. Hence, Communists, as consistent internationalists, cannot but be irreconcilable and bitter enemies of anti Semitism. In the U.S.S.R anti Semitism is strictly prosecuted as a phenomenon hostile to the Soviet system. According to the laws of the U.S.S.R. active anti Semites are punished with death. Joseph Stalin
It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. Joseph Stalin
Do you remember the tsar? Well, I‘m like a tsar. Joseph Stalin
I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this who will count the votes, and how. Joseph Stalin
The leaders come and go, but the people remain. Only the people are immortal. Joseph Stalin
We think that a powerful and vigorous movement is impossible without differences. True conformity is possible only in the cemetery. Joseph Stalin
As we know, the goal of every struggle is victory. But if the proletariat is to achieve victory, all the workers, irrespective of nationality, must be united. Clearly, the demolition of national barriers and close unity between the Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Polish, Jewish and other proletarians is a necessary condition for the victory of the proletariat of all Russia. Joseph Stalin
The State is an instrument in the hands of the ruling class, used to break the resistance of the adversaries of that class.
The production of souls is more important than the production of tanks And therefore I raise my glass to you, writers, the engineers of the human soul. Joseph Stalin
Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas. Joseph Stalin
You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves. Joseph Stalin
Everybody has a right to be stupid, but some people abuse the privilege. Joseph Stalin
American Communists have the opportunity to preach freely their ideas. It would be absolutely wrong to hold the Soviet government responsible for activities of the American Communists. Joseph Stalin
The press must grow day in and day out it is our Party’s sharpest and most powerful weapon. Joseph Stalin
