First published in 1940, Stalin's Russia is a close study of the development of the Stalinist regime and the flaws in socialist doctrine that made it possible. The book examines the contrasts between the "e;free and equal"e; society heralded by the Marxist-Leninist programme and the totalitarian state that emerged in its place. It makes use of a wealth of material to cast light on the inner workings of Stalin's regime. It explores the significance of the Stalin-Hitler pact, and argues that the word "e;socialism"e; itself became a liability to any genuine movement of liberation as a result.