Stalinism has nothing in common with genuine socialism. Dictator worship is inimical to Marx’s politics of working class self-emancipation. There is an uptick of sympathy for the USSR and China on the left. This sees supposedly left-wing people defending states which exploit and oppress the working class. Stalinism also promotes a number of backwards ideas in the workers movement. Stalinism argues for a politics of subordinating the working class to various “progressive” capitalist forces. This is an argument that takes on many forms ranging from the popular front to campism. This session will present a revolutionary critique of Stalinism and argue that the socialist movement of the 21st century should reject the Stalinism of the 20th century.