History Repeating

New Russian history textbooks are drawing criticism for claiming Joseph Stalin acted "entirely rationally" in exterminating an estimated 20 million people. I have no problem with that assessment. If you have a problem with potential dissidents, murder is the simplest and most direct remedy.

Earlier textbooks have called Stalin an "effective manager." Again, this makes sense; one would have to possess stellar management skills to maintain a system of governance that flies in the face of human nature.

But hey, thank goodness Russians no longer consider mass extermination of opponents a rational and acceptable course of action, right?