2. Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin, born Ioseb Dzhugashvili in 1878, rose from a seminary student to become the Secretary-General of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1922. After Lenin’s death in 1924, he consolidated power, implementing policies that transformed the Soviet Union into a major world power. His tenure was marked by rapid industrialization, forced collectivization of agriculture, and widespread purges that led to the deaths of millions. Stalin’s leadership left a profound impact on Soviet society and the global political landscape. (britannica.com)
