ABSTRACT
A brief conclusion emphasizes the cyclical character of Stalinist violence as a key to the dictator's longevity. Stalin was able not just to impose violence when he felt threatened but then to scale it back and even reverse himself in order to stabilize his rule. This was no mean feat, and Stalin seemed to have an instinct for it: how far to push repressive policies without triggering complete collapse or rebellion, and then to deescalate violence, to know not only when but how to reverse his own policies so as to claim success or to blame others for excess. Even more remarkable, Stalin was able to purge, then compromise with, and then purge again the same segments of the population. And he got away with it. Time and again. Violence, especially cyclical violence, was fundamental to Stalin's regime, but it was also fundamental to the dictator's survival.
