How far had the Soviet Union become a Marxist state by 1941?

There was very little resembling a Marxist State in the Soviet Union in 1941. One might argue that the abolition of classes, the collectivisation of the means of production and the state control of the economy implemented in the previous years represented milestones in the Soviet Union's transformation into a Marxist State. However, there are a few, yet crucial factors that disprove this claim. First, the collectivisation efforts and the State-run 5 years economic plans did not achieve the desired effect. Consequently, some level privatisation had to be reintroduced in order to boost the economy. Moreover, the so-called 'dictatorship of the proletariat' - a temporary stage in the revolutionary process that should have culminated with the establishment of a classless and stateless society - became a permanent feature in the Soviet Union. In place of the free and equal society Marx described, the strengthening of the state and Stalin's cult of personality transformed the 'dictatorship of the proletariat' into a totalitarian and repressive regime. Lastly, Marx advocated for the internationalisation of the working-class revolution. The Soviet Union, instead, adopted the idea of "socialism in one country" and even developed some forms of patriotism and nationalism.

Answered by Mauro L. History tutor

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