What was "Stalinism"? How far was it in line with the teachings of Marx and the practice of Lenin? Was it the logical outcome of the revolution, or was it a sort of counter-revolution? How far was Stalin an absolute ruler? Was he popular? How much support did his regime have, and from whom? What was the scale and purpose of the terror? Was there any alternative to him or to his policies? These and other controversial issues are discussed by five scholars from the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain who put forward constrasting interpretations of the phenomenon of Stalinism. The contributors are: R.W. Davies, Sheila Fitzpatrick, J. Arch Getty and Segei Mikoyan.