oct 16, 2003 - "State Violence as Technique: The Logic of Violence in Soviet Totalitarianism" -- Peter Holoquist

Description:

Understands Stalinist use of terror and violence (particularly during the purges) as a calculated and intentional move, not by a paranoid leader but as an attempt to forcibly remake society as part of their ideal vision. Draws from Kotkin's Magnetic Mountain "Stalinism as civilization". Soviet authorities wanted to remake people and society and violence was a way of weeding out that which was undesirable.