"Even now we feel that Stalin was devoted to Communism, he was a Marxist, this cannot and should not be denied"

Nikita Khrushchev's statement about Joseph Stalin supplies a nuanced perspective on Stalin's role in the Soviet Union and the more comprehensive Communist movement. Khrushchev, who led the Soviet Union after Stalin's death, offers a crucial yet rather conciliatory view of his predecessor in these words. The quote suggests a recognition of Stalin's dedication to Communist ideology and Marxism, despite the more controversial aspects of his management.

Khrushchev's recommendation that "Stalin was devoted to Communism" can be seen as an effort to affirm Stalin's dedication to the ideological cause that specified Soviet politics throughout his reign. It suggests that, regardless of the results or techniques, Stalin's actions were rooted in an earnest belief in Communist principles and the vision of a Marxist society. By specifying that this "can not and ought to not be denied", Khrushchev stresses a connection of ideological intent within Soviet management, possibly to keep legitimacy and coherence in the Communist Party's historic narrative.

Nevertheless, this quote likewise shows the complex tradition of Stalin, whom Khrushchev criticized honestly in his Secret Speech of 1956 for the criminal offenses and abuses dedicated throughout the purges and other oppressive policies. By recognizing Stalin's Marxist orientation while slamming his techniques, Khrushchev tries to separate the ideological from the moral and practical failures of Stalin's leadership. This separation may have aimed to fix up the image of the Communist Party by distancing its core tenets from the dictatorship that identified Stalin's age, while still acknowledging the accomplishments claimed under his rule.

In broader terms, Khrushchev's declaration encapsulates the problem faced by post-Stalin Soviet management: the need to reconcile the achievements credited to Stalin's guideline, like industrialization and his role in World War II, with the brutalities of his oppressive routine. It is a reflection of the battle to create a narrative that both acknowledges Stalin's contributions and condemns his excesses, all while guiding the Soviet Union towards a different course that Khrushchev visualized for the future.