stalin's m.o. from a beginner

[ernesto]

You asked on the site to ask any question--no matter how inane it may seem--so, here goes. I am presently reading a book by Robert Daniels entitled a documentary history of communism. According to this author, at the seventeenth party congress in 1934, Stalin outlined his revised ideas of what positive socialism were ( class struggle instead of the withering away of the state, inequality instead of equality and the decisiveness of individual effort). The author then states" By this time Stalin's reinterpretation of doctrine under a pretended cover of orthodoxy had cut the communist movement entirely off from any guiding influence of Marxist principle.

Two Questions What does Daniels mean by this quote exactly?
Question2--I have only read 32 pages and he seems to indicate that Stalin adjusts and flexes Marxist-Leninist doctrine every which way he can--even whenit is way out of line with actual doctrine--Is this true or is this viewpoint only this author's

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[Morpheus]

1. Based on your quote I think Daniel means that by the 1934 congress Stalin's version of communism had little in common with Marx's version. Stalin claimed to be following Marx's teachings but actually broke with them.

2. I agree with that claim, although fans of Stalin will surely dispute it.