Stalin and The Soviet Union Joseph Stalin lived from 1879 till 1953. Stalin was one of the most ruthless communist dictators of all time. After Lenin’s death, Stalin pushed his way to the top and was set out to make the Soviet Union into an industrial power. In 1928, Stalin proposed the Five Year Plans, which were to build heavy industry, transportation, and an increase in farm production. This initial attempt to industrialize the country was generally successful, but collectivization was extremely unpopular and was resisted by the peasants. In response Stalin had millions of them killed, or allowed them to starve. Stalin said that the Soviet Union was behind the rest