Stalin is more relevant than ever. He symbolises the Soviet Unions rise to a global superpower, a position that the current government in Moscow wishes to restore. This is demonstrated by the violent conflicts in the northern Caucasus which have some roots in the period of Stalin. This is additionally illustrated by the renaissance of the late Russian dictator, who is being stylised as moderniser without referring to the brutality and victims of his great industrialisation project. In this book based on current research the author offers a biographical perspective on Stalin's life. In contrast to many other biographical works the soviet dictator is equally presented as domestic as well as foreign politician and the history and ideology of Stalinism is laid out.